Reflection for the Week

Jesus advised a Pharisee to invite dinner guests who could not possibly reciprocate. On another occasion, the Lord told the parable of a dishonest property manager about to get fired. By quickly reducing the amounts that debtors owed his boss, the manager ingratiated himself to people who could give him a place to stay. The tactic of using dishonest wealth to make friends contrasts sharply with serving God, no matter what the cost. With infinite love, the Lord wants people to come to Him but seeks the lost, too. When we pray for what we desire,

Jesus saw a crippled woman in the synagogue, called her over, and cured her on the Sabbath. God does not always wait for us to ask before rendering His help. At the home of a Pharisee, Jesus noticed people seating themselves in places of honor for dinner and said that self-esteem would sink to embarrassment if the host asked someone to change places in favor of a more important guest. After a night in prayer, the Lord chose the Twelve Apostles. Like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a huge bush, that small group of a dozen grew into a huge Ch

God creates each person for good works, but faith and salvation remain gifts that people can never truly merit. By telling a story about a man who died within a day of making plans to slack off after a bountiful harvest, Jesus challenged the faithful not to store up earthly treasure at the expense of what matters to God. On the other hand, like a gardener cultivating and fertilizing so that an unproductive fig tree might, at last, bear fruit, the Lord does not give up on people. Without knowing how long a lifetime will last, followers of Jesus

Jonah warned the Ninevites to repent, and they did. The Queen of Sheba heard about the wisdom of Solomon and went to him with questions. Jesus offered something greater—the key to unlock understanding of the law and prophets. Skipping the ritual washing before a meal to help make a point, the Lord advised the Pharisees on hand to work on cleansing evil from within themselves. They could receive forgiveness for whatever they said against Jesus. “Blaspheming against the Holy Spirit” would not be forgiven because it means refusal to accept G

Knowing the Commandments to love God and neighbor, a scholar of the law intent on justifying himself asked Jesus to define neighbor. The Lord answered with a parable in which His listeners would have pegged a Samaritan as the least likely of three passersby to help the victim of a brutal robbery. In another parable, Jesus depicted a traveler arriving late at night, prompting his host to pester a friend into getting up and supplying some bread for a midnight snack. God recognizes that people want quick answers to prayers and rewards faithful per

After a man named Job lost his work animals, his herd of sheep, and even his children, he came close to losing his faith. Admitting that he didn’t understand why so much hardship had befallen him, Job received the blessings of a long line of descendants and a return to prosperity. Nathanael recognized the Son of God when he met Jesus for the first time and realized that the Lord already knew him. Exhibiting rather childish behavior, the Disciples argued about who was greatest, and John needlessly tattled to Jesus that someone unknown had invo

When invited by the Lord to follow Him, Matthew threw a party where Jesus gladly ate with sinners. Our Lord taught that He counts anyone who hears and acts on the Word of God as family. Herod the Tetrarch (son of Herod at the time of Jesus’ birth) had John the Baptist beheaded. Rumors swirled that John, Elijah, or one of the other prophets had come back to life in Jesus. When the Lord asked the Disciples their opinion, Peter called Jesus the Christ. Although Jesus said that He would suffer and die at the hands of men, the Disciples did not un