Jesus uses a powerful parable to teach us the crucial role of forgiveness in our lives. Understanding the teaching is the easy part; our task is to make forgiveness a daily discipline that shapes our thoughts, words and actions.
Matthew’s Gospel offers the second prediction of the Lord’s Passion, reminding us that all disciples must face the Cross as they journey through this life.
As Jesus is transfigured before their eyes, the disciples hear the voice of the Father, “This is my chosen Son, listen to him.” May we drawn near and take the Lord’s words to heart as well.
The Lord exhorts his disciples to take up their Crosses and follow him. Crosses come in all sizes; may the Crosses we carry become a worthy offering to the Lord as we put his example into daily practice.
St. Peter gets it right…then he gets it wrong. Yet in the end we know that Peter will not only understand who Jesus is, but he will have the courage to follow the Lord, carrying the Cross from this life to the next. We, too, are works in progress; may we strive to learn from our successes and failures as we journey with the Lord.
The Canaanite woman in Matthew’s Gospel refuses to take no for an answer; instead she persistently seeks the Lord’s help to cure her daughter…offering us a great example of faith.