13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The learning process never ends – we continue learning our whole life long.  Our life of faith is meant to grow our whole life long as well: “disciple” means “learner”.  In our readings today God calls certain people to follow Him – the big call.  But we also see God asking daily favors of those who already follow him – the small calls.  As disciples of Jesus, God is calling us, in big ways and small, to deeper faith, to lives of service, to lives of prayer, to following these spontaneous and often inconvenient calls that bring about His Kingdom in our lives and on this earth.  What small calls does He have in store for you this week?

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Have you ever been accused of being like your parents?  Usually, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.  On this Father’s Day weekend, Jesus asks his disciples, and us, “Who do you say that I am?”  If we take Jesus at His word, then we believe that He is the Son of God the Father, and that in Jesus we are also sons and daughters of a heavenly Father.  Jesus was like His Dad: “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”  As followers of Jesus, as sons and daughters of God, do we live and act and talk in such a way that others can accuse us of being like our heavenly Father?!

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings today show that we have a God with an attitude of forgiveness.  As God’s people, we are called to take on this same attitude.  Whether it’s something as small as bad driving or as large as lifelong divisions and family rifts, we are called to begin living our lives with an attitude of forgiveness.  Unforgiveness is exhausting; we carry around the weight of resentment and bitterness.  These people and situations don’t deserve to have that kind of hold on us.  Forgiveness lightens us, frees us to live life the way we were made to live it!

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The readings today announce God as the giver of life – physical and spiritual.  God wants us to live rich, fulfilled, happy lives.  In the Gospel Jesus raises a dead man to life by the touch of His hand.  Is there a part of my life that seems lifeless?  Is there an area in my life that is not as rich, deep, and fulfilling as I’d like it to be?  Today, ask Jesus to lay His hand on you and to bring that part of you back to life.