Loretto Jubilarians: Faithful to the Gospel & Dedicated to Loving God’s People (Part 2)

How we spend our days is, after all, how we spend our lives.

Annie Dillard

The Gospel text for Sunday, June 26, tells the story of the disciples of Jesus following him on his journey to Jerusalem. We hear the conversations: “Jesus, shall we send fire on this town that rebukes you?” “I have to go bury my father before I can follow you.” “Let me say farewell to my family before I come along.” Jesus finally says to his small band of followers, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” Now that’s an answer for you. Clear, steady, honest, challenging.

A jubilarian is a person who has a faithful response to the Gospel. One cannot pick and choose which Gospel is the favorite. The call of the Gospel requires more than reflection. It is a call that the believer must go where Jesus has gone. The follower goes to the temple and to the well. The follower goes to the blind man and the leper. The follower jumps in the sea and hauls in fish. The follower goes to the cross and stands there. It is an overwhelming calling. We don’t do it alone. In I Am the Way, Loretto’s Constitutions, it says, “We stake everything we are on the reality of God’s promise in Jesus.” That’s it. That’s what we do. And we do it together.

We say to the Jubilarians:
We love you.
May the Lord continue to bless you and keep you.
May God be gracious to you and fill you with peace.

Please join us this week on Loretto’s Facebook page as we continue our jubilarian tributes in highlighting those Loretto members celebrating 60, 50 and 25 years of service.