Jesus' disciples were criticised for picking grains of wheat to eat on the sabbath because they were hungry, to which Jesus famously said "The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath." Do we serve the law, or do we serve people, as did our saint we remember today, Peter Claver.
On this feast celebrating the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we are reminded that Mary is not the end point of our faith, but the starting point, since she always points to Christ.
Fr. James Marchionda, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, explaining that to pick up our cross and follow Jesus means more than "suffering, for the sake of the Gospel," but to have the wisdom to know God's particular call for us and to have the courage to act on it.
Jesus promised his disciples that whatever they have given up in family ties or wealth they will be given 100 times as much, as well as eternal life.... and yet, we often still choose our "stuff" over God.
Jesus tells a rich young man to give all his possessions to the poor and then to follow him. The young man goes away saddened. Do we own our possessions and are free to use them wisely, or are we owned by our possessions and enslaved by them?
A Word of Hope by Fr. James Marchionda, OP
Jesus shares the parable of the wheat and the tares growing together to let us know that we are not to judge those who are different from ourselves, that is God's job at the end of time. But can we benefit from learning from people who are different from us?
A Word of Hope by Fr. James Marchionda, OP
Jesus teaches us to sell everything for the Pearl of Great Price. What more would we be willing to give up for the Kingdom of God?
Breaking open the readings for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. James Marchionda, OP reminds us that if we have God's plan as our highest goal, whatever befalls us, we can be sure that God will make things well in the end.
The Israelites grumbled against God in the desert, and God heard them and sent manna. Fr. James Marchionda, OP thus reminds us to be honest in our prayer, praise when we can, and grumble when we have to, because God hears and responds to it all.
The mother of James and John asked Jesus to sit at his right and at his left in the Kingdom. Fr. James Marchionda, OP asks us to think about what we ask God for? Is it riches and fame, or to be fruitful in our ministry?
Jesus said "woe to you" to those who witnessed his great deeds but did not heed them, so Fr. James Marchionda, OP reminds us to pay attention to the great deeds that people are doing around us each day, because these loving and often heroic actions of individuals are a living sign of our loving God.
Jesus talks about how we must love God more than your father or mother. Fr. James Marchionda, OP reminds us that we need to find a balance in our lives between faith and all our responsibilities.
