“Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” // John 10:9-10
It was my first time on a yacht in the ocean, and until then seasickness had been a foreign concept to me. I remember the doctor giving me a shot on the arm and falling fast asleep. When morning came I woke up with vomit up all over my arm. Creeping over to my cabin window, I peered through the shade. The water was calm, it was crystal clear, and it was a turquoise blue that I had never seen before in any body of water. It was truly breathtaking.
I had been hired as a nanny on this private yacht for a milestone birthday celebration. This world that I had entered into was completely detached from my everyday life.
There were new menus created daily, my cabin was turned down every night, and when I had free time I would go up to the deck, gaze at the incredible view, and play with the golf simulator (mostly because it was there—not because I was an avid golfer).
I could see where this world could sweep one away with all of its excess and luxury. It would be easy to find pasture here and think it is a life of abundance (see John 10:10).
Spending time with the invited guests reminded me of Christ’s words, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Matthew 6:21). The “treasure” of excess and luxury can feel like the pinnacle of fulfillment.
This trip through the Southern Caribbean overwhelmed me with a sense of what the thieves in our lives can be when we do not have our eyes fixed on our Good Shepherd: wealth, social media, material possessions, excessive preoccupation about the future, obsession over politics, academic superiority, etc.
There is much that can deter us from living a truly abundant life when we don’t enter through the gate.
Sister, what thief have you allowed to interfere with your relationship with Jesus? Pray again with today’s Gospel (John 10:1-10) and listen to the stirrings of your heart.
Mytae Carrasco Wallace is Las Vegas born and raised and holds a Masters in Public Administration. She and her husband have the privilege of leading Pre-Cana retreats for their home parish. On the daily you can find her raising her three kiddos, choreographing dance moves to entertain her children, and doing her own version of carpool karaoke. She was a contributing author to All She Had. Find out more about her here. Mytae es creada y nacida en Las Vegas, NV. Tiene su Maestría en Administración Pública. Ella y su esposo tienen el privilegio de dirigir los retiros de Pre-Cana para su parroquia. Diariamente puedes encontrarla criando a sus tres hijos, coreografiando movimientos de baile para entretener a sus hijos y cantando su propia versión de karaoke en el carro. Fue autora contribuyente de All She Had. Conozca la mejor aquí..
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