The reality of eternal life has been revealed in simple terms by God Himself, “…this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (Jn 17:3). Our Lord speaks these words, actually as a prayer to the Father, in the presence of His apostles. To spend time with these sacred words will greatly impact your prayer, not to mention your outlook on life and what awaits us.

See, often, we only consider eternal life as something that will come in the end, but as Christ has spoken about it, we see a different perspective emerge upon the horizon. That what seemed to only be before us is actually something already present to us…to know the only true God and Jesus Christ, who was sent. This knowledge is one of the gifts of the Apostles, which they offered their lives for. It is their teaching that is at the same time the Church’s teaching which bestows knowledge about who God truly is, and this with the power of the Holy Spirit drawing minds and hearts, becomes faith. Faith is indeed a gift given by God to open the soul to see that He is, but the amazing thing about faith is that it is not simply something of the mind. By the divine gift of Baptism, God comes to dwell within the soul—to not only see but behold. There is a significant difference in the quality of knowledge between knowing someone through another’s testimony and knowing that person because you are with them.

And so, it becomes more apparent that through the sacraments and our prayer life, what is truly meant by eternal life, as defined by Our Lord Himself, begins in this very moment. Go back now to the words of Our Lord, the definition of eternal life is occurring as Christ prays to the Father and includes His apostles with Him in that moment of prayer to the Father. This is truly the wonder of what takes place within our prayer; it is the glimpse of what eternal life is like—we enter into the communion/communication/the sharing of the divine life of the Holy Trinity.

CCC 1, “God, infinitely perfect and blessed within himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.”

I get by with a little help from my friends. Yeah, I realize that I'm quoting the Beatles from their 1967 Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band album, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, but it could also apply to the first reading this week which tells us the story of Moses and a cast of characters including Joshua, Aaron, and Hur in their battle with the Amalek people. 

As the story goes, Moses promised Joshua that he would be successful in battle, and as long as he kept his hands raised, Joshua was ahead, but when Moses got tired and lowered his hands, the Amaleks had the better of the fight. Aaron and Hur, therefore, stood next to Moses and supported his hands, and the Israelites won the battle by sunset.

In this story, as in our lives, we can't do it alone, and I think that's a great message.

Sometimes, I think we take those supporting roles for granted and don't give them the recognition they deserve. The star, the leader, the champion gets the accolades, and the people behind the scenes, who propped them up and worked without complaint, are ignored. How many times have we seen corporate leaders get huge bonuses while their workers struggled? Yes, the leaders deserve recognition, and leadership is difficult work, but a more equitable distribution of credit would raise everyone up.

On the other side, I think we often discount our own supporting roles. Think about the places in your life when you're the Aaron or Hur, working to make sure that the team is successful. I frequently write about the common good, of doing our part to make things better for everyone, and it is in your supporting roles where you often do this without complaint, and without proper recognition.

Moses was a powerful man of God, yet he still needed help from his friends. And we're at our best when we, too, are part of a community of people who support each other, who hold each other up, and who do what we can to make each other successful. 

Peace!
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Parents are Partners- don’t miss this!

Saint Andrew School, in partnership with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Cook County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), will be holding a virtual presentation on October 15th at 7pm: Protecting Kids Online: A Virtual Safety Event. This presentation is designed to provide parents with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly. More details will follow next week.

Programming for Infants and Toddlers

Tell your friends and neighbors about our programming for our youngest bulldogs. Baby Bulldogs is a music and movement playgroup for infants and toddlers. Bulldog Buddies is a class for 2-year-olds that offers an engaging curriculum along with the opportunity to experience our school setting in a safe, nurturing environment with their caregivers. This is a great opportunity for members of our community to experience Saint Andrew. 

Discover the Difference with Saint Andrew School! 

Are you seeking a nurturing and enriching educational environment for your child? Look no further than Saint Andrew School, where Catholic Education comes to life through faith, excellence, and community. Our dedicated faculty inspires students to achieve their full potential academically, spiritually, and socially. At Saint Andrew, we blend rigorous academics with character-building values, fostering a sense of purpose and belonging. Experience our vibrant campus, where every student is known, loved, and challenged to grow. Choose Saint Andrew School today and invest in a brighter future for your child. Enroll now and join our family! We have an upcoming tour on October 14th at 9am. Sign up for a tour here: schedule a tour New student applications for the 25-26 can be found here: New Student Application