It’s possible for us to look like we’re praying while never actually speaking to God at all. That’s the example we see in the parable that Jesus has just shared in the Gospel. The Pharisee begins his prayer by thanking God, but before we know it, he starts listing all of his accomplishments. He shares…
In the Gospel today, we hear a story that is quite familiar to all of us. Jesus encounters ten lepers who cry out to Him: “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” We can imagine how desperate they were, how isolated, how unclean, how unworthy. Because of this condition, they were cut off from their families,…
If we take an honest look at our hearts, I think we would find that fear can be one of the strongest influences on some of the decisions that we have made in our lives. Fear can paralyze us at times, keeping us silent when we know we should speak, and holding us back from…
His name was Lazarus. In all the parables that Jesus shares throughout His ministry, this is the only character He ever names. Think about that. That says something, doesn’t it? The rich man has no name, but Lazarus does. To God, the rich man is a cautionary tale, but Lazarus is a son. We can…
When I was younger, I remember hearing this Gospel about the “dishonest steward” and thinking, “Wait! What’s happening here? Is Jesus really praising a crook?!” It almost sounds like He’s telling us to embrace a way of life where others are being taken advantage of and cheated. But as always, if we sit with this…
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us to remove the wooden beam from our own eye before trying to take the splinter out of someone else’s. It’s a vivid reminder that true discipleship begins with self-examination. Before I can help my neighbor, I need to let God heal my own heart. The readings today and yesterday…
I once heard someone describe the Christian life this way: “It’s free, but it’s not cheap.” Yes, the salvation that we are offered from the Lord is pure gift. We know that Jesus has already paid the price by His sacrifice on the Cross. But following Him, truly following Him, truly giving our lives to…
Over the past two weeks, we’ve been on a journey with Jesus where He has encouraged us to help make our faith on fire. Two weeks ago, we were reminded how the Lord lights the fire of faith in our hearts – not a faith that is meant to be safe or tame, but a…
If we think back to the readings from last week, you might remember that Jesus told us how He had come to set the earth on fire. But it’s not just any fire, it’s a fire that purifies, a fire that divides, a fire that changes us. But once that fire is burning within our…
When Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”, He is not talking about a cozy campfire on a cool night. He’s talking about a blaze that changes everything it touches. It’s a fire so powerful that it purifies, refines, and…
Fr. Tom Pringle 