Say Yes to Holiness Newsletter #373
Inspiration for the week of June 29, 2026
Welcome to the latest edition of the weekly Say Yes to Holiness newsletter—designed to help inspire, encourage and accompany you on the path towards holiness.
Today is the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, which this year, falls on the Monday of the Thirteenth week of Ordinary Time.
In yesterday’s Gospel (Matthew 10:37-42), Jesus speaks words that might make us a bit uncomfortable:
“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me... Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me... Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
At first glance, Jesus seems to be asking us to choose between loving Him and loving those closest to us.
But that is not what He is saying. Rather, Jesus is inviting us to love Him first.
When Jesus occupies first place in our hearts, then we can truly love everyone else just like Jesus loves them. Also, every relationship will find its proper order when Christ is at its center.
But this invitation is costly.
Why?
Well, it requires surrender. And it also demands that we carry our cross.
But if we SAY YES to His invitation, it can lead us to the greatest freedom imaginable, because the more we lose ourselves for Christ, the more we discover who we were created to be.
Finally, Jesus tells us that discipleship is often lived not in extraordinary moments, but in ordinary acts of love. He reminds us by telling us that by even offering a cup of cold water to another because they belong to Christ has eternal significance.
So, this week’s Food for the Head, Heart, Hands and Feet will seek to inspire, encourage and accompany us as we seek to place Christ first in every aspect of our lives as we continue on our journey toward holiness…
Food for the Head
“Many men keep the commandments in the way sick men take medicine: more from fear of dying in damnation than for joy of living according to our Savior's will... On the contrary, a loving heart loves the commandments. The more difficult they are, the sweeter and more agreeable it finds them, since this more perfectly pleases the Beloved and gives Him greater honor." — Saint Francis de Sales
Jesus began yesterday’s Gospel by asking us to examine the ordering of our loves by asking do we love Him above all else?
That question can feel overwhelming until Saint Francis de Sales reminds us that authentic discipleship is never rooted in fear but in love.
Love is what can change our perspective.
Instead of asking, “What must I give up?” we begin asking, “How can I love Christ more completely today?”
For when Christ becomes the center of our lives, then every other relationship finds its proper place. We will become better spouses, parents, children, friends, and neighbors because Christ Himself is loving through us.
And this is how we experience the reality that Saint Francis de Sales speaks of about how more sweeter and agreeable our crosses become when we know that this more perfectly pleases the Beloved and gives Him greater honor.
This is how we will know the joy of living the Lord’s commandments.
But first, we must SAY YES to putting Christ first and strive to love as He loves.
This week, resolve to ask yourself each morning: "Lord, how can I love You first today?"
Food for the Heart
“Once you have surrendered yourself, you make yourself receptive. In receiving from God, you are perfected and completed." — Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen
After calling us to love Him above everything else, Jesus then immediately tells us to take up our cross.
Why is this?
Because love always involves surrender.
Each disciple eventually discovers that following Christ will require letting go of our own attachments, ambitions, fears, resentments, and sometimes even cherished plans.
But surrender is never a loss.
For before we can surrender ourselves to Christ, we must learn to become receptive to His grace. And it is in this surrender that we learn that the life we thought we were preserving then gives way to the life He has always desired to give us—a future of abundance.
In other words, God will never be outdone in His generosity towards us.
Therefore, surrender and embrace the abundance you will receive when you become receptive to all that God desires for you.
This week, resolve to place one attachment into the Lord's hands and trust Him with it completely.
Food for the Hands
“What was the first rule of our dear Savior's life? ... The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly to do it in the manner He wills; and thirdly to do it because it is His will." — Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
The Gospel concludes with an unexpected lesson.
After speaking about crosses and sacrifice, Jesus turns to something remarkably ordinary—a cup of cold water. It is through this reference that Jesus reminds us that no act of love offered for His sake is ever insignificant.
Sometimes we imagine holiness requires extraordinary accomplishments, but Jesus points us toward ordinary faithfulness because every act of charity matters.
Think of all of the possibilities.
A word of encouragement. A visit to someone who is lonely. Listening patiently. Forgiving generously. Serving quietly. Offering a cup of water to the thirsty.
All of these simple acts can become extraordinary—if they are done for love of Christ.
So, let’s get to it.
This week, resolve to intentionally perform one hidden act of charity each day simply because you love Jesus.
Food for the Feet
“My confidence is placed in God who does not need our help for accomplishing His designs. Our single endeavor should be to give ourselves to the work and to be faithful to Him, and not to spoil His work by our shortcomings." — Saint Isaac Jogues
The Christian life is rarely built upon dramatic moments. Our acts of charity bring to life our discipleship, and our discipleship is built upon daily fidelity.
Each morning we choose Christ again. Each day we pick up our cross again. Each encounter becomes another opportunity for us to receive Christ by receiving another person with love.
Saint Isaac Jogues reminds us that success in discipleship is not measured by visible accomplishments, but rather by our faithful perseverance.
For God always accomplishes His work. Yet, we need to remain faithful.
One of my favorite ways to grow in this daily fidelity is by praying the Rosary. I have found that as I meditate upon the mysteries of Christ’s life by sitting in the “school of Mary”, I learn how to SAY YES every day—just as Mary did.
So, when you are feeling discouraged or struggling with persevering in your walk of discipleship, ask for help to carry whatever cross is weighing you down.
And trust that God will accomplish His work.
This week, resolve to carry today’s cross with confidence, trusting that Christ walks beside you every step of the way.
Exhortation
"My Lord, I offer you myself in turn as a sacrifice of thanksgiving... I am not my own. You have bought me... Enable me to carry out what I profess." — Saint John Henry Newman
The question Jesus asks us this week is remarkably simple: “Who comes first?”
If Christ truly comes first, then every other part of our lives begins to fall into its proper place, won’t it?
We will love Him above every earthly attachment.
We will discover that surrender is not defeat but freedom.
We will recognize opportunities to serve Him in ordinary acts of charity.
We will faithfully carry our cross each day, trusting that the One who calls us is also the One who strengthens us.
And when we SAY YES to losing our lives for His sake, we will discover the abundant life that He has prepared for us from all eternity.
This week, may each of us continue to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to place Christ first in every aspect of our lives, so that together we can tell the Master of Death, “NOT TODAY!”
All the best,
Christina
PS—If you haven’t already, go check out my new book, Solving the Parish Puzzle: One Person, One Disciple, One Leader at a Time is now available for purchase on Amazon.
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Latest Posts on the Women of the New Evangelization (WINE) blog:
Mercy, Peace and Exultation (April 12)
Harden Not Our Hearts (Mar 9)
Guest appearance on the Equipcast Podcast:
"When God Asks, How Do You Answer?: The Power of 'Yes' with Christina Semmens
Articles on the Catholic365.com Platform:
Recognizing the Path to Life
We Are All Eucharistic Missionaires!
Latest episode of the Say Yes to Holiness podcast... (more episodes coming this week!)
Episode #262
“Hope Springs Eternal”—1:1 with Paul McCusker, Senior Director Creative Content, Augustine Institute
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Update from The Catholic Leadership Puzzle
Solving the Parish Puzzle: One Person, One Disciple, and One Leader at a Time is now available for purchase at Amazon.
The book focuses upon how we each can help to create life-giving communities where we can become the holy men and women that God created us to be, and is a compilation of the work I have been sharing on The Catholic Leadership Puzzle Substack.
I encourage you to read the reviews below to help you determine if you should pick up a copy today…
“Christina's book is both thoughtful and practical. I appreciate the careful attention to crafting a solid plan for reinvigorating and reenergizing parish life from from the 'ground up' - in other words, she writes with wisdom and experience about starting small and engaging individuals and small groups who can then passionately spread this message like fire. Helpful resource for anyone seeking to help take their parish community to a place of deep spiritual, practical, and holy love for the Lord and for one another!”—Matthew Koscal
“This book is for anyone who wants to see their parish thrive. Whether you are a priest or lay person, read Solving the Parish Puzzle for clear guidance on taking an average parish to the next level of discipleship. What we have been doing is not working. It’s time for something new. Semmens lays the groundwork so we can put the pieces together.”—Carol Wiget
If you already have a book, please consider posting a review on Amazon as well.
To access the SPP book resources and find more CLP content, you can find it here at The Catholic Leadership Puzzle Substack