 Hello, I'm Father Sean Roberson and I'm the University Chapel here at Franciscan University in Steubenville. The big question that comes to us in this moment, in this time, is what is the outcome of all of this? What does it mean to be a disciple and where is it all going? What does it mean and what is this outcome, what is this fruit? St. John Paul II had a saying when he was speaking about discipleship and it was to be a sign of contradiction in the world. That had a twofold meaning, basically. The first was that in a sign of contradiction you need to lead others from darkness to light and that sense that as disciples we are witnesses to Christ's love, his mercy, his power in our lives and that we stand as a sign in the midst of the world to realize and recognize that Christ is alive and well in his church and that he's leading others into the greatness of his life. But also the secondary part of that in the sign of contradiction is that we will face opposition. We will face the opposition of the world that is in many ways in darkness, is in doubt, and is in unbelief. And we come to this greater sense of our own purpose in that, to be witnesses to the light of Christ, to realize and recognize that he has touched our lives in very great ways and that we are cultivating in our lives through the sacraments, through personal prayer, through our own desire to have a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Jesus the Lord. And as we come to that place where we may face opposition, we may face persecution, we come to one great realization that we're not alone in it. We're living a life of the Spirit, that the Holy Spirit comes to us to strengthen us, to empower us anew, to witness in the midst of a culture that does not recognize God, that God's power is alive in us and that he is carrying us and bringing us to greater glory. As Jesus said to us that you are the light of the world and a city set upon a hill, that we've been set apart according to a mission and that we are undaunted in that mission by any sort of opposition, realizing that the Holy Spirit will in fact give us what we need to accomplish that. Because the Lord also tells us that be not afraid because when it is your time to speak, the Holy Spirit will come to you and speak through you, give you the words you need to speak before the world. So it is a time of rejoicing. It is a time, discipleship is a time of joy because we realize we're not alone. We are empowered by the very love of God called the Holy Spirit. We're empowered by this love that takes control of our heart, that we are called to cultivate as I say through the sacraments, through a prayer life, through our life in Christ that strengthens us, that converts our own heart and converts the hearts of others. That we experience this renewal through the life of the Spirit. We experience a renewal in grace and holiness that is a witness to the world. We are a sign of contradiction, but in the best way possible. We are witnessing to the life of glory that God has given us. Our lives to this day have been touched by Jesus. Our lives have been touched by the Holy Spirit and enhanced greatly. And the witness that we bring to the world is one that changes the world around us. It will change the people who we know, but also change the world that we find ourselves in. Because we do find ourselves in a world that contradicts the gospel, the good news of Jesus. And our place in that is to be that source of life, to be the city set upon a hill, to bring renewal, to bring grace, to bring peace to the lives of others, that they may come to know the Jesus that we know and to be touched by his love, be enhanced by his mercy and to receive the grace we need to witness to his glory. Thank you.