If you’ve ever looked through old Prayer Books, you might have seen the words,

“Jesus and Mary, save souls.”

Growing up, I remember seeing that little invocation prayer

in many books and on prayer cards and holy cards.  

I also remember hearing that invocation spoken by the Religious Sisters, who taught me in School ... and by my Gramma ... and others.

What a loving request that is … directed to Jesus and Mary …

begging them to continue their efforts ... to save souls.

Jesus, of course is the one who saves. He accomplished His salvation for all

2000 years ago when He offered His life to ransom all mankind

from eternal slavery to sin and separation from God.

Since then, the gates of Heaven have been open and the grace of the Holy Spirit has being poured out upon the world.    But still … the work of salvation goes on …

until each and every person finds entry into God’s Kingdom of Heaven.

And so our prayer is for Jesus to guide and guard all souls to Heaven.

Hence the invocation, “Jesus and Mary … save souls.”

You may wonder why Mary was included in that plea.

Well, Mary was involved in the work of salvation from the very start …

when she said “Yes!” to being the God-Bearer …

Mary bore the Savior in her womb and  brought Jesus to us!

Then she nurtured Him to the time He went forth to his Public ministry & Passion.

And it was there at the Cross that she took on her new role as Mother of the living,

when Jesus said to her, “Behold your son.”  

meaning ... behold the Apostle John  ... and all of God’s Children.

So, Mary as both Jesus’ Mother and our Mother, has a continuing role in salvation.

She’s already brought her Son to us … and now she strives to bring us to her Son.

That’s what salvation involves … coming to Jesus … both now and forever.

And so in loving concern for ourselves and for others it was common just two generations ago to lift up the beautiful prayer, “Jesus and Mary, save souls.”

But Jesus and Mary aren’t the only ones who need to be about the work of saving souls.

You see, all of us … everyone of us … needs to be about the work of saving souls.

It’s the most important work in the world … 

and if we claim Jesus and Mary as our models, then we need to do what they do,

which is guiding souls to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Our Catechism says it this way,

“Those who with God’s help have welcomed Christ’s call and freely responded to it are urged on by love of Christ to proclaim the Good News everywhere in the world.”

Yes, those of us who know Jesus ... should be moved ... out of our love for Him ...

to proclaim the Good News.     Where?       Everywhere in the world!

Jesus models this in our Gospel today.

He no sooner spends time in one town ... healing all who came to Him ...

That He says, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also.”

What was Jesus’ attitude?      I must continue to preach!

And what was Jesus preaching? He was preaching the Good News.

Well, what’s the Good News? Do you know? Could you verbalize what it is?

Could you explain and articulate to another person the Good News of Jesus Christ?

Well, let’s see ...

Could you share the message that God loves us? That’s good news!

Could you share the message that God forgives us our sins? That’s great news!

Could you share the message that God will never leave us and that His desire

is for us to live with Him forever in Heaven if we but accept His invitation?

                                                                                      That’s the best news ever!

If you understand these truths,

then you know much of the Good News of Jesus Christ. It’s also called the Gospel.

Now, what’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word Gospel?

You might say ... well, one of the books written by Matt, Mark, Luke & John.

And you may have been thinking of those books during our Second Reading today from 1^st Corinthians, when Paul speaks of proclaiming the Gospel.

He was probably referring to one of the 4 written Gospels, right?

No, he wasn’t! Because Paul never saw the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John … for they hadn’t been written yet!

The first Gospel wasn’t written until the year 65 … the year that Paul died!

And the other 3 were written much later ...  in the years 85, 87 and 100!

Yet Paul speaks of proclaiming the Gospel!

In just 6 verses, Paul uses the word Gospel  ... 4 times!

But Paul didn’t have the written Gospels! So what’s he referring to?

He’s referring to the message of the Gospels ... that while not written down yet …

was being communicated verbally from person to person!

Paul’s letters substantiate the important role of oral transmission of the Gospel, that while not written down yet was being spread orally all over the land.

Paul writes today, “I offer the gospel free of charge.”

Which meant, Paul was about the job ...

of verbally spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ

Why was he doing this?

Paul writes, “so as to win over as many as possible.”

What’s Paul trying to do?        Save souls!

He’s spreading the Gospel to win souls for the Kingdom of God.

Paul goes on, “I have become all things to all people, to save at least some.

All this I do for the sake of the Gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.”

What was Paul’s mission and purpose?    To save souls!    His own and others!

It’s as if Jesus had dispatched him with the plea, “Paul, save souls.”

So, what is our purpose and mission in life?

The Catechism states, “All Christ’s faithful are called to hand on the Good News from generation to generation, by professing the faith, by living it in fraternal sharing, and by celebrating it in liturgy and prayers.”

There you have it! That’s our purpose and mission as Christians … we’re to share the good news of Jesus Christ in order to save souls … our own and many others.

Yes, our purpose in life is to live the Gospel and to spread the Gospel ...

so that we and many others can live forever with God in Heaven.

Are we obligated to do this?

Listen to what Paul said today, “Woe to me if I do not preach it!”

God is counting on us to play a part in salvation, and woe to us if we don’t do it.

Knowing that the Gates of Heaven open …

and the Holy Spirit is dwelling in our souls since the day of our Baptism,

  you could say that everyone’s been formally invited to enter into God’s home.

But as with any invitation, there’s the possibility that some people will either

misplace it    or forget about it    or consciously choose to ignore it.

So, while all are invited to experience the redemption won by Jesus for all ...,

          it still remains for souls to accept the gift that’s been offered ...

 by seeking God and following His ways.

That’s where we come in ... helping others to accept the Gift.

Sadly, there are many who buy into the call of the secular world that says

that life is all about the here and now,

 and they wind up scattered and confused and disappointed.

For those s who have lived and worked in this world for a while, I think you’ll agree that what we see around us is enough to fill you with frustration and even despair.

 Nothing stays the same, things get old, they wear out & break, people suffer & die.

So what’s the point … it can seem so hopeless.

That’s the very feeling expressed by Job in our First Reading today.

You may remember the story of Job,

who was living a rich and satisfying life until he lost everything.

Job had it all and lost it all!

In no time at all, Job lost his herds of 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 oxen to raiders.

He lost his 7 sons and 3 daughters when their house collapsed.

And he broke out in boils from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.

For the next 35 chapters the Book of Job documents how Job wrestled with this awful situation. Today in Chapter 7 he says: “is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?

I’ve been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me.”

Can any of you can relate to this? Those of you in unfulfilling jobs.

Those of you, who are struggling to make ends meet and can never seem to get ahead, there always seems to be another expense for the home or the car or a sick child.

Those of you who are battling some sickness, those who are on long term journeys of wellness, who are going back to the doctor again and again for care or treatment.

To you, life doesn’t seem so great.

No, as Job says, life can seem to be a drudgery.

Where the nights are “filled with restlessness” and

“the days … come to an end without hope.”

If this describes your situation, then I ask you to read the end of the Book of Job.

Read the last 5 chapters beginning with Chapter 38.

It’s there that you will be reminded that there’s way more than the eye can see.

At the end of the book, God speaks to Job and informs him about Eternity, about which he knows absolutely nothing.

And Job comes to appreciate the vast power and loving plan of God.

Job is healed, he regains all his herds, he is blessed with several more children.

How appropriate our Responsorial Psalm today.

Praise the Lord for he is good, He heals the broken-hearted & binds up their wounds

Great is our Lord and mighty in power.”

God’s power is for good. And God’s power is available in this world.

We saw this clearly in our Gospel today where Peter’s Mother-in-law is laying sick with a fever, but the touch of Jesus makes the fever leave her immediately!

Jesus went on to cure all the people that came to his door.

The Gospel, written and oral, gives testimony to God’s power to keep us from getting frustrated and despondent.

Life is difficult … but there’s way more to life than we see.

First of all there is His divine power that we have access to.

And there is Eternal Life … that is our destiny.

From the day of our Baptism, we’ve been infused with the virtue of Hope.

And we should let this gift empower us through the high and low spots in our life.

Because no matter how tough things may get here … this is not the end of the story.

There’s more!

God’s desire is to bring us home to Him in Heaven.

Our Home isn’t here on this earth. Our Home is in Heaven.

Let’s not let the coming difficulties drive us to despair.

It’s not just about what we see with our eyes.

There’s way more involved!

We can stand to lose many material things as did Job.

But the one thing we should never lose is hope … in the power and plan of God.

Remember, God’s plan is simple … that we come to know Him and love Him and serve Him in this life so that we can take our place with Him forever in Eternal life!

What’s our destiny?

It’s Heaven and God has the power and the plan to take us there!

We all can play a part in salvation … for ourselves and for others.

So in addition to praying the little prayer, “Jesus and Mary save souls”

Let’s pray the expanded prayer, “Jesus and Mary help me to save souls.”