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Introduction

The Love We Leave Behind

The world as we know it is passing away.

There is, however, an eternal inheritance awaiting us in heaven. As we travel on the road of salvation, we follow in the footsteps of the saints who have previously walked the narrow way. Our inheritance in the Kingdom of God has been secured for us by the cross of Christ, a holy birthright that we are called to pass on to the generations of believers who will come after us. The legacy of our Catholic faith is a heavenly one, grounded in Christ and lived out in our daily lives as we move from faith to faith, with our eyes ever fixed on the prize that awaits us in the kingdom yet to come.

We hope to one day look back upon our lives and see the blessings that have come through the steps we have taken and the choices we have made. We must ask ourselves whether we have brought joy into sorrow, peace into struggle, and wisdom into uncertainty. Have our families, our friends, and our Church been made richer because they bear the imprint of our lives? Will our contributions to the Catholic Church, large and small, lead others closer to the One who came to set them free? Will the words we have spoken and the actions we have taken result in a more blessed family reunion around the banquet table at the heavenly wedding feast? These are questions each of us must be willing to ask as we live our lives.

We have power to share the blessings of our faith with this world, to live lives of honesty and integrity, casting off falsehood in favor of gospel truth. Committing to the cause of Christ puts us in the thick of the battle, where our faith is tested time and time again. Jesus never promised an easy life to those who believed. In fact, he told us we would face trouble, division, persecution, and even death for the sake of the kingdom. Yet God also assures us that he will never leave us or forsake us (cf. Heb 13:5), and that he has wonderful, prosperous plans for our lives (cf. Jer 29:11). We who believe can rest assured that when the world around us is shaking to its very foundations, God remains the unshakable, all-powerful Lord of the glad city of heaven.

This is what leaving a legacy is all about. In Christ, we are born into a new life from above, gifted and empowered to carry out our purpose for the Kingdom of God, and joined to a community of faith so that we may support one another and build up the body of believers. We are called to draw the lost into the family of faith, to grow as individuals, and to become all that we have been called to become. Everything we do should reveal to the world that we are but pilgrims on this earth, walking in faith straight into the heavenly places. When we have left this world for the world to come, our greatest joy should be that when people looked at us, they saw Jesus and him alone.

During this ten-week study, we will consider the challenge of the Gospel to place our mark upon the world and to shape the Church that has so beautifully shaped each of us. Every aspect of our lives as Christians is meant to carry out the Great Commission of making disciples, baptizing them and teaching them as Jesus has taught us, and resting on the final promise that Jesus will be with us to the end of the age (cf. Mt 28:16–20). Let all you read and consider and pray over in the days to come lead you to a greater awareness of how you are helping to ready the Bride of Christ for the day when the Bridegroom comes again to call her to the Wedding Feast.