Persons in our society are not averse to discipline. Persons discipline their consumption of food in order to maintain a healthy diet and to lose weight. Persons embrace the discipline of exercise in order to tone their bodies. Athletes accept the discipline required to excel in sports. Persons accept the discipline of long hours at work in order to achieve success in their careers. Musicians and singers accept the discipline of long hours of practice in order to master their instrument or perfect their voice. Scholars accept the discipline of long hours of study in order to become experts in their area of interest. We are not averse to discipline when it is in our interest.
            Why, then, do we object when we speak of the discipline that our faith requires? In order to grow in faith, we need a regular life of prayer but many persons do not discipline themselves to make the time necessary for daily prayer. We need the Sunday Eucharist (the Mass) in order to remind ourselves that we are members of the Body of Christ; not individual believers but members of a corporate body that is rich in diversity but united in our common profession of faith. Yet, many persons do not discipline themselves to arrive at Mass on time and some do not discipline themselves to make the Sunday Mass a priority in their lives. We need to discipline our thoughts, desires, words and actions so that what we think, say and do reflects our faithfulness to what God expects of us as God’s sons and daughters. Unfortunately, many of us fail to accept this discipline so that what we think, say and do is often contrary to the ways of God. Do we accept the discipline our faith requires in order to grow in our unity with God?
            Let us pray for the grace to accept the discipline of God that we need in order to be true sons and daughters of God.
 
 
 
 
                            Fr.  Mark Hallinan, S.J.