If you are confused by today's Gospel, you are in good company! A steward is accused of squandering a rich man's money, and before the steward is fired, he writes off a bunch of the debt owed to his master, and he is commended by his master for doing so. This makes very little sense, until we realize that we are the subject of this parable -- our wealth, which is merely "on loan" to us until we die, we can either squander by using it just for ourselves or we can make friends with it by giving it away -- and these friendships, unlike the wealth, will last into eternal life.

In today's Gospel, Jesus responds to the Pharisee's accusation that he is too chummy with tax collectors and sinners by giving the moving parable of the Prodigal Son. In it two sons are juxtaposed -- one son's sins against his father are public and obvious (similar to the tax collectors and sinners) and one son's sins of the heart are more hidden but no less serious (like the Pharisees and scribes). What is the similarity and what is the difference between the two son? Both sons are sinners, and only one son repents. Which son will we be?

In today's Gospel Jesus has a shocking message for us: If you want to be his disciple, he must "hate" his parents and spouse and children and everyone else and also himself. While Jesus is clearly using the Semitic rhetorical technique that we would call "hyperbole", what does Jesus mean by this? 

In today's Gospel on humility, Jesus indicates a remedy for pride, which is choosing to associate ourselves only with those who can offer some kind of "return" on our investment in them--people who have connections or influence or benefit us in some way, or people whose company we enjoy. But Jesus tells us today to have friends who do not provide us this "return", but rather cannot give us anything back because of their poverty and neediness. Do we have friends who are poor? This is what Jesus invites us to consider today.

This year the Feast of St. Pius X falls on a Sunday, so we have the opportunity to celebrate the patronal feast of our parish. Let's learn more about our patron saint so that we can follow his example and grow closer to him in friendship. St. Pius X, pray for us!

Today’s second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us of the call of Abraham. In Genesis 12, God calls him to uproot his whole household and journey to the place that God has set apart for him. The catch is the God doesn’t tell him where he is going. Such is our life. And especially our life of faith. What enables Abraham to be obedient to God? His living relationship with God assured him that the One who calls him is trustworthy. May it be so for us as well!

Jesus makes it very clear in today’s Gospel that he wants us to ask for what we need and to do so with persistence. While we may experience God’s answering our prayer in the way we were hoping, what do we make of it when God doesn’t answer our prayer or seems to give us exactly the opposite of what we were wanting?

In today’s Gospel Jesus says to Martha: “You are anxious and worried about many things. There is one thing that is needed.” Amidst the many concerns of our life, how can we focus on the “one necessary thing”, or rather, the only One needed… Jesus Himself. When we focus on the One, the many legitimate concerns fall into their proper order.

This Sunday we hear the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. While the most obvious meaning of the parable is the moral lesson for us to come to the help of others, there is a deeper, symbolic meaning. Looking at the symbols Jesus uses we can see that he is the Good Samaritan and the sinner is the one left wounded and humiliated. We see not just THAT we should come to the rescue of others but how Jesus rescues US.

I’m today’s Gospel Jesus sends out his Church ill-equipped and unprepared for their mission except one thing: The disciples who are sent out all know Jesus. And God will give them the grace they need to be successful on the mission. Today we hear some practical advice about how to bring the Gospel message to our family, friends, and coworkers.