Crossing The Threshold

Outreach To All My Non-Churchgoing (lapsed) Catholic Friends And Family

Here is my very sincere request to all my friends and family who for different reasons no longer or rarely attend Mass. “Come Home For Christmas” return to the practice of your faith. Our prayers have always been that you feel the love of God and relieve the worry and anxiety experienced by parents, siblings and grandparents.

You may be thinking: My sin is so great, I am as far from God as the younger son in the parable [of the merciful Father], my unbelief is like that of Thomas; I don’t have the courage to go back, to believe that God can welcome me and that he is waiting for me, of all people.

But God is indeed waiting for you; he asks of you only the courage to go to him… Don’t be afraid, go to him, he is waiting for you, he will take care of everything.

On Home Mission Sunday and the year ahead you will be remembered in a very special way in our prayer.

Loving Father,

Whose arms are always open to welcome us home, we bring before you all those that we know who are non-churchgoing Catholics.

We ask that you bless them abundantly this day and ignite in their hearts, and in ours, a desire to seek your love.

Through Christ your Son, show us how we might lovingly reach out to non-churchgoing Catholics, especially those closest to us.

May the Spirit guide them on your path and help us to see how we might support them on their faith journey. Remove anything from our paths that prevents us from drawing close to one another and to your loving embrace.  May we all experience this day the joy of knowing that we are all beloved sons and daughters, churchgoing or not, and give us the confidence to witness to your Son, who is the source of our life and our hope. Amen