Br. David Vryhof is a contributor to a daily email meditation, Brother Give Us A Word. The Society of St. John the Evangelist is a monastic community of the Episcopal Church located outside of Boston. On Friday, September 27, Br. Vryhof posted one sentence titled: “INVITATION.”

Christ is never pushy, but instead invites us to a different life with him. As I studied Br. Vryhof’s words more closely, I realized that it outlined a journey that I’ve been on for many years. We are all in a different place and time, but it starts with an invitation from a good friend.

My journey has taken me through four different phases:

1. First, I began thinking that my world and my life could be different
2. Then, I began to center my life in God, and concentrated on doing God’s will
3. Next, I began to identify with others who share this commitment as my real “family”
4. Now, I join with others in a common effort to realize the dream of God on this earth.

My journey hasn’t been a smooth, always-forward transition. At times, I’d begin to center my life in God and then find that I had returned to my old life. Or, I’d join a church thinking that they were my real “family,” and they weren’t. There were dark days when I’d slip into thinking that my life couldn’t be different, but then I’d remember the invitation from Christ to the woman at the well: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Our faith journey isn’t smooth, but Jesus is always there, encouraging us to dig deeper and reach the next dimension in our faith.

Wherever you are on your journey, invite someone to come with you.

 It always starts with the invitation when we think that our life and the world can be a different place.

Blessings, my friend,

Agatha

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