As Jesus calls his disciples we remember that the Lord continues to call forth followers in every generation. May we listen to Christ today and continue to foster the faith we have received.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 23rd Week of the Year
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The Lord makes it clear that unless we take up our Cross we cannot be his disciples. Christ – who was victorious over his Cross – will give us the grace we need to face our own.
Mass Readings – 23rd Sunday of the Year
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Study: Reflect on a truly difficult time in your life. Where did you find the strength to continue?
Pray: Is there a challenging situation in your life right now? Ask the Lord for grace and wisdom.
Serve: How can you help someone in a tight spot today? How can you help them carry their cross?
Mass Readings – 23rd Sunday of the Year
There is a sobering element in the readings this week that focuses on the cost of discipleship. We commonly speak of “carrying the Cross” as a way of understanding how our sacrifices and burdens become transformed when we participate in the Cross of Christ.
The first reading from the book of Wisdom reminds us that our mortal natures cannot fathom the breadth and depth of God’s plan. We rely on the Lord, and we trust that through the power of the Holy Spirit God reveals the path of our lives – and provides us with the strength for the journey.
The psalm response “In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge” helps us understand that when times get tough we turn to Jesus. He is the source of our strength, and with his grace we find a safe place from which we can prepare our hearts for the demands of the day.
Paul’s letter to Philemon touches upon our human weakness. Paul, imprisoned for his faith, is sending back a runaway slave (Onesimus) to his master – urging Philemon to accept his former servant with kindness as a brother in the Lord. Paul, Onesimus, and Philemon must all trust in the Lord for the strength to do what is right, even when it is difficult.
Finally, the Gospel speaks bluntly about the cost of discipleship. The price might be our family, our relationships, our possessions…yet through it all the Lord affirms that his grace empowers us to carry our Cross. For indeed, we all have crosses, and we can face them with hope – knowing that the Lord, who carried his Cross, will help us with our own.
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Note: This post was first published on August 29, 2019.
Study: Reflect on a person who loves selflessly. What qualities do you see in their behavior toward others?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the awareness to see more clearly the needs of others, and the grace to respond with love.
Serve: How might you make a sacrifice to help someone? How might you let go of what you want in order to assist another in need?
Mass Readings – 22nd Sunday of the Year
The theme of humility surfaces throughout the readings this week. Check this out:
What does humility mean? What does it mean to say that a person is humble? The word is often misunderstood and misused, and yet it is an important concept in the Scriptures and Church teaching.
At it’s heart, humility is about our perspective of ourselves against a larger background. We are not the center of the universe! Rather, we understand that we exist in relationship to the Lord and one another.
God is the center and origin of our lives, from which we derive all grace and blessings. We are sustained in the mind of God, and invited to love the Lord with all our heart and mind, body and soul. For remember: the Lord loved us first, and out of love gave his Son to save us from our sins.
Yet the relationship is not just between ourselves and the Lord. We also exist in relationship to one another. We are part of a great communion of souls – both living and dead – and we are invited to grow in love of those around us.
Humility arises when we see ourselves clearly in the light of these relationships. We understand that our needs and wants are always set in the context of other (often far greater) concerns. When this happens we grow in awareness of how our lives interact and weave together, fostering communication, cooperation, and respect.
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Note: This post was first published on August 22, 2016.
Jesus offers three key insights that profoundly impact our spiritual lives in practical ways. The hard part? Putting them into practice every day.
Mass Readings – Wed. of the 19th Week of the Year (St. Maximillian Kolbe)
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Jesus speaks bluntly in the Gospel of Matthew, making it crystal clear that his disciple must take up his cross and follow the Lord in order to enter into eternal life.
Are you ready?
Mass Readings – Friday of the 18th Week of the Year
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When Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” he is inviting them into a spiritual self-discovery that leads to personal change. The moment we claim Jesus as Lord we recognize our relationship to the Messiah and declare our allegiance to follow where he leads.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 18th Week of the Year (St. Dominic)
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Photo Credit: Son of God, 2014.
