As we begin the tenth week of Ordinary Time, it is a good time to apply the spiritual equivalent of a tune-up. The afterglow of Easter and Pentecost has, by this time, worn off for most. What was a rich flavour has grown less tasteful, and keen enthusiasm has ebbed. The honeymoon period of Baptism is over, as I heard from a recent OCIA initiate.
If this has been happening to you, rest assured, there is a gift hiding in this season – one that is far more profitable than feeling good. God wastes nothing. Yes, this strain reveals the weakness of our love, but, like physical exercise, a muscle can only grow when it is pushed to its limit.
