WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS
OF CHRIST 
Kathy Bernard - Publisher

“Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.” – (Matthew 4:19)

On some level he felt ashamed as he closed the door of the car and watched as his wife and children drove off to the Easter Vigil at the Church.  But he simply could not acknowledge the claim that God became man, came to earth, and died to pay the debt for the sins of mankind so that they would gain eternal life.  Although he was a hardworking, honest family man, kind and loving to others, he could not accept the premise that this man Jesus was his Savior.  Sadly he shook his head and went inside the house.

He stood looking out his living room window, noticing that snow had begun to fall.  As the snow drifted past his window, he mumbled, "I feel like a hypocrite".  In the midst of his reverie, there came a thudding sound, followed by another and another.  It must be a kid throwing snowballs at the window, he thought.  He went to investigate and saw a flock of birds huddling miserably in the heavy snow.  They had been caught in the storm and were frantically looking for shelter, trying several times to fly through his window.  The man, becoming agitated, thought, "I've got to help them.  I must not let those poor creatures stay there and die.  But how?"

He thought about the barn where the children’s pony was stabled.  Yes, that would be a warm place.  He hastily put on his coat and galoshes and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn.  He opened the doors wide and turned on the light. But the birds wouldn't come in.  Food, he thought, food will bring them into the barn. So he ran back to the house for bread crumbs.  He made a bread trail to the barn, sure that they would follow the trail to warmth and shelter.  To his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs and continued to shake and huddle helplessly in the falling snow.  He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around and flapping his arms but they scattered in every direction – except into the warm, lighted barn he so kindly offered.

“They don't trust me,” he thought to himself, “they are afraid of me and I can’t think of any way to let them know they can follow me.  They cannot see what I am offering them.  I want them to live.  If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes and get them to have faith in me, I could lead them to safety and they will live. 

Just at that moment, the church bells began to ring. He stood silently for a while, listening to the bells pealing.  Then he sank to his knees in the snow.  “Now I understand, Lord” he whispered with tears streaming down his eyes. “Now I see why You had to come down to earth as a man to save us and give us eternal life.  Now I understand!”

How do we follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ in today's society?  We must surrender ourselves into His loving care through faith.  At the beginning it may seem impossible to follow the Lord wherever He leads. We get busy with work, family and  a multitude of responsibilities and we sometimes forget to reflect on the most important gift in our lives; Jesus Christ, the Son of Almighty God.  Many times we fail to remember that intimacy and closeness with God and Jesus Christ determines our walk with Him.  But, we must make a choice to consciously follow Jesus Christ or follow the world of transient pleasures hosted by Satan who is a robber, a thief and a liar, who will sugarcoat all sin with great, superior intelligence.  He will keep us busy with mundane things to keep us away from Christ.  And gleefully, he will twist God's Word on all things to suit anyone who stands uncertain or too busy to follow our Lord.  

Jesus does not force us to follow him.  He waits patiently for us to come willingly.   When we give our hearts and souls to Jesus, we will recognize and know that He is our Advocate, our Intercessor, and through the Holy Spirit, He is our Counselor on all things.  It does not matter that we are imperfect and once was a sinner.  It is the now that matters since He died for people just like you and I.  Jesus tells us if we walk with Him, He will change our hearts and give us the vision to see beyond this world so we will no longer have need of the temporary.  Because He took our sins and died to pay for our salvation, He made us worthy to enter the kingdom of our heavenly Father.  He tells us if we follow Him in this life He will bring us joy, in spite of earth's pangs and the hurts we must face, for He will be there in the midst of the darkness of life.  Just a little while, just a little while, He promises, I will renew you into an everlasting life.  With your newfound faith, I will give you the vision I have planned for you.

"Stay alert!  Watch out for the great enemy, the devil.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.  Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.  In His kindness God calls you to share in eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus."  1 Peter 5:8-10. 

 As we reflect on our Lord giving up His life on Good Friday 2,000 years ago at Calvary to atone for our sins, we must be truly humble and forever thankful for the price Jesus Christ paid for our redemption and surrender ourselves in obedience to His will for us.  

Easter Sunday represents the fulfillment of our faith as believing Catholic Christians and is a time of great celebration.  As believers, let us always emulate our Blessed Savior by walking in His footsteps to eternal glory.  
 

"And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are
still guilty of your sins." -  1Corinthians 15:17
 
 

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