Doing Rather Than Keeping Busy

If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. . . . In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce[read more]

No Excuses

Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.  Rather, he emptied himself taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and, found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming[read more]

Regarding Others As More Important Than Ourselves

Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others. Philippians 2: 3-4 When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or[read more]

Formation and Purgation

Indeed, if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. Romans 5: 10 Today we celebrate the Feast of All Souls.  We pray for all who have died in the belief that our love of them[read more]

The Last and the First

Indeed they will come from east and west, from north and south, and they will recline in the kingdom of God.  Look, those who are last will be first and those who are first will be last. Luke 13: 29-30 At the height of the human and global policy disaster that was the Iraq War,[read more]

Like A Mustard Seed

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?  To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.  When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ‘the birds of the air dwelt in its branches.’” Luke 13: 18-19 In his[read more]

Live As Children of Light

Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.  So do not be associated with them.  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of light. Ephesians 5: 6-8 Many years ago, when graduate[read more]

Working Toward Harmony

I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4: 1-3 For a long time I have[read more]

Waiting and Awakening

But if that servant says to himself, “My master is delayed in coming,” and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place[read more]