🏁 Finish What You Started! Why Your Angel Won't Pray Your Rosary (Fr. Mark Beard)

Father Mark Beard delivers a humorous, yet seriously challenging message about the importance of finishing what you start in your spiritual life. Using the season of Lent as a central example, he emphasizes that God demands consistency and commitment, not half-measures or spiritual excuses.

The Problem of Quitting:
The Angel Didn't Finish It (0:10): Father Beard comically addresses the common excuse of falling asleep while praying the Rosary and thinking, "My angel finished it." He corrects this notion, insisting that the responsibility to pray rests entirely on the individual: "You started it, you finish it."

The Danger of Delay (0:37): He highlights how easily we fall behind in spiritual duties, saying, "I'll catch it tonight... then we never catch up." This applies to reading a spiritual book, writing in a journal, or saying morning prayers.

No Shortcuts in Lent (0:50): Father Beard firmly challenges the idea of taking "holidays" from spiritual discipline (like quitting Lent before Easter Sunday to celebrate early). He reminds the audience that Lent must be run all the way out for 40 days, just as Christ persevered.

The Call to Perseverance:
Good Catholics Finish (1:16): He assures the congregation that they are "good Catholics," but good Catholics, like good athletes, don't quit before the finish line.

Even the Snails Made It (1:21): In a memorable line, he uses the analogy of Noah's Ark: "Even the snails made it to the Ark," implying that no matter how slow your progress feels, you must keep moving forward.

It's time to stop making excuses. If you started a spiritual practice, a fast, or a resolution—you have to finish it!