The parable of the rich man and Lazarus offer insights into how we live. By putting our trust in God and using the ordinary tools of faith, we find the grace we need to journey through this life until we reach Heaven.
The Lord offers us a profound insight into the path of discipleship: through suffering and service we conform our lives to Christ as we pour out our lives in love for one another.
We know very little about St. Joseph: he makes no speeches; indeed, he says nothing at all. Yet this hard working, faithful man carried out the task appointed for him by God…showing us that in the last analysis our actions are crucial as we follow Jesus Christ.
The Transfiguration of Jesus reveals the Lord’s divine glory and majesty in the presence of Peter, James and John. This glory offers us the consolation of hope in eternal life, while at the same time challenging us to carry our crosses as we follow the example of Christ.
The command to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” is perhaps one of the most challenging lines in the Bible. Yet when we strive to carry this out we begin to conform our lives to Jesus, allowing his grace in us to make it possible.
The Lord exhorts the disciples to seek a higher standard of holiness. How? By making reconciliation an essential ingredient for following Jesus Christ.
Prayer is not magic. Rather, it is the way we grow in our relationship with God, listening to the Lord’s word and opening our hearts to receive the grace we need to face the difficulties of life. May our prayer help us to draw nearer to Christ today, so that we can offer our lives for Him.
Jesus refers to the Book of Jonah as he speaks to the people about the need for repentance. We, too, have the opportunity every day to repent and call upon the Lord for the grace we need to follow as his disciples.
As Jesus confronts the devil in the wilderness, his response to three temptations shows us how we can face the deceptions of evil in our lives with courage, faith and wisdom.
While spending time with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus’ response to the scribes and pharisees offers us hope. The Lord’s willingness to bring healing and forgiveness to those in need reveals Christ’s longing for our redemption as well. May we follow the example of Levi and respond to the Lord’s call.