Being a Catholic Pilgrim means opening yourself up for God to work through you to help lead others to Christ. We all are involved in so many different relationships and it’s so important for us to be charitable, generous, kind, and forgiving when dealing with all those who come into our life. We are all on this journey together and we need each other.

Before becoming Catholic, I didn’t ever give one thought to other people’s souls–not one thought. Since converting, I realize that every person we come into contact with is a person with dignity and worth. Christ called us to love our neighbors and that will look different based on the closeness of our relationship with a certain person, but we are to bring Christ’s love to all. This can be hard to do sometimes, but we are in desperate need of more love in the world.

Most important is our relationship with God. If our relationship with Him is waning, the rest of our life will be out of whack. If the One who loves us more than we could possibly imagine wants to be close to us, it’s probably a good idea to foster that relationship. You will never regret it.

Our spouses, parents, children, co-workers, friends, neighbors, and even strangers can always use more love and kindness. It gives great purpose to our life when we realize that every encounter with someone is a chance to give them Christ. It can be hard to do, but putting in the effort is more than worth it. In fact, we don’t really survive this life without love.

My challenge to you: Pray every morning for the grace to love those around you well. If you struggle with a particular person, pray to the Holy Spirit for help. He will give you the grace and help you need.