The death of John the Baptist assaults our senses for its cruelty, pettiness and injustice. As John precedes the Lord in life, so also he precedes him in death…reminding us that the offering of our lives will include profound sacrifice.
What do we do to strengthen and nourish our faith in Jesus Christ? The Lord’s response in his native place reminds us that being a disciple is a daily decision that demands our determined discipline.
The Lord teaches that our actions today result in eternal consequences. As we offer the gift of our lives may we be guided by the light of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Like a hidden treasure or a pearl of great price, our faith is a precious gift that offers the most valuable return of all…eternal life in heaven. (I suggest that we all work for that…)
As the Lord explains the parable of the weeds and the wheat to the disciples, we are are reminded in a vivid way that our lives are accountable to the God.
Our relationships with the Lord and one another form the foundation for all our interactions and accomplishments. In good times and bad, we build up these connections, recognizing the crucial need to keep them vibrant and strong.
The Lord’s parable of the weeds and the wheat makes it clear that at the end of time there will be an accountability of good and evil. May we be inspired to be counted among the wheat!
As James and John were striving for places of honor while the other Apostles were indignant, Jesus uses the situation to teach that the call of his disciples comes from offering oneself for service…even to the point of suffering out of love for others.
The parable of the sower and the seed reminds us that there are many obstacles that seek to prevent us from following the Lord. May we cultivate our hearts so that Christ may raise up a rich harvest.