Personal conversion is central in today’s readings. All of the injunctions against sins, against leading others astray, against centering our lives on material goods and power, against continuance in sinful lives while presuming the forgiveness of God are all summed...
What an amazing story in today’s Gospel reading. What a challenge for us all. Jesus crosses to the far side of the Sea of Galilee which at the time was not part of Israel. Jesus goes out into this alien territory full of foreigners and pagans far from the people of...
The combination of these two very short parables is absolutely astounding. With these two simple, succinct teachings, Jesus outlines for us our mission as Christians and our future before God. Both of these teachings come with an added injunction from Jesus to pay...
Jesus spent a lot of time talking about love, especially in the Gospel of John. His actions, healings, meetings, and miracles are aimed at showing God’s love. So, when he is not talking about love, he is acting on love and showing us love in action. Even though we...
Natural religiosity is a way of relating to God based on sacrifice, rigid observance of rules, judging others, and external signs of holiness. For many people in Israel their relationship with God had degenerated into the external forms and minimalistic observance of...
