Jesus’ words in Matthew give us great food for thought: Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.

Motivational speakers and pop psychologists have made a good living off talks, workshops, and books based on this Bible verse. They have bombarded us with adages such as, “You preach a better sermon with how you live your life than with your lips,” “The best way to succeed in life is to act on the advice we give others,” “Is it fair to ask of others what we are not willing to do ourselves?” and, “It is always the ones with the dirty hands pointing the finger.”

So, why are we so interested in this topic? Because marrow deep all of us want to live our lives with meaning and purpose. We all want to know that our all-too-brief time on this earth was not just one big platitude, but that our actions, as well as our words, made a difference. That how we conducted ourselves and how we lived our lives had a positive impact on our loved ones, on our communities and to those in need.

To practice what we preach sounds easy, but it is so, so hard to do. What can we do to make this important task more manageable, as part of our daily lives and how we interact with others?

Maybe like the Olympic athletes we just watched; we should get a coach to help keep us focused on our goals. And what better coach could we have than the Lord, for he is with us in times of strength and in times of weakness, and when we are searching for solace in his warm daily embrace of each and everyone of us. Through the Holy Spirit, God is present and ready to shape and mold us into the type of persons we all desperately want to be. Always prodding us to strive for the Magis, to become better in each and everything we do.

As we reflect on our shortcomings, do not despair, for we have the best set of coaches any athlete could ever hope for. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are there to help us achieve our aspirational goals.

As we go about our daily routines this week, let’s make a concerted effort to pray more. Let’s not be satisfied with the 12 minutes to read the Daily Readings and Reflection but carve out some additional time during the day to let God into our lives and to feel his presence. Maybe by putting more energy and focus into our prayer life, we can practice what we preach and live lives that not only have meaning and purpose but give glory to our Lord and Savior.