Invited to the Feast
What’s at stake in this Sunday’s Gospel are the same themes of the end of time and judgment that we found in last week’s Gospel. Jesus is pulling the rug from beneath our feet. Remember, this isn’t just a nice story. Parables are intended to throw us off balance.
The Precious Gift Of Life
What does it mean to be pro-life? It means that every human being is precious and that the measure of the moral goodness of our society is whether those lives — without qualification — are welcomed and given an opportunity to flourish.
Embracing Obedience
While many of us have learned to maintain our composure, we know that deep within, there flows a river of molten negativity that monastic spirituality calls grumbling.
A Sign of Contradiction
God is speaking directly to our hearts to call on Him in our disrupted plans and to seek Him not as some far-off deity, but as the God who is near and who is deeply invested in our lives.
Forgiving from Your Heart
Most people have faced situations where they struggle to let go of bitterness, anger, or resentment in their lives. Feeling if they forgive this person, then there are no consequences; they let this person “off the hook.” Not so, says the Lord.
Roads Less Traveled
Jesus is all about relationships. It’s a priority to do all in our power to restore balance and bring reconciliation to places of discord. These are all worthy ideals to pursue. They also sound great on paper but are extremely difficult to achieve.
The Good News of Discipleship
As disciples we are called to foster our relationship with Jesus, to know him in a personal way. And, as with any important relationship in our lives, our relationship with Jesus changes us, helps us to grow more into the woman or man that God wants us to be.
Who Do We Say That Jesus Is?
We know well what the world says about Jesus. But, the Gospel turns the question on us. Who do I say Jesus is? Do we pick and choose the teachings of Jesus which we agree with and ignore the rest; or do we believe that every word Jesus speaks is THE word of God?
Sincerity in Prayer, Humility in Faith
Our familiarity with prayers isn’t always accompanied by a sincerity in our prayer. We rattle off words while our minds are onto the next task. Our prayer life is fragmented because our need for help has been disconnected from our belief in Jesus’ mission.
A Whispered Invitation
God is calling to us today, like Peter. The winds and waves may be in the form of politics, riots, and disease, the big and loud things seeking to get our attention. God is speaking in a whisper, still inviting each one of us to recognize Him amidst the trials and have just a tiny bit of faith to come to Him.
Lessons in Compassion
When we seek what Jesus is offering, we are often filled with more than we need, even finding we now have something to distribute to others. Do you trust Jesus to take your meager offerings and multiple them into blessings to fill you and to share with others?
What Really Matters?
Things all too easily become more significant than people, individuals can all too easily become objects to use and manipulate, and our agendas become more essential than God’s. Only the wisdom that comes from God can bring light to all of our darkness.