Reflection for the Week

Scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign. Jesus pointed out that, right there in front of them, they already had more than Jonah warning the Ninevites or King Solomon answering the Queen of Sheba’s questions. Jesus told a crowd His parable about seed scattered on all kinds of ground, illustrating why only some people grow in faith. Another parable described wheat and weeds growing in the same field, like goodness and evil in the world. At the Risen Lord’s empty tomb, Mary Magdalene turned around, saw Jesus, but failed to recognize Him until H

Townspeople sometimes refused to repent, even after seeing the miracles that Jesus worked, and He reproached them. The Lord also taught that kindness to his disciples—even something as small as offering a cup of cold water—gets rewarded. Blessedly, the heavenly Father reveals things to the childlike that escape people supposedly wise. For instance, disciples of Jesus got hungry and picked heads of grain to eat while on a walk. An innocent child would see that as snacking. Pharisees saw it as breaking the Sabbath. Jesus expected to cause div

After suffering for twelve years from hemorrhages, a woman believed that wellness would come if she touched Jesus’ cloak. Imagine her fear when He turned around to face her and said to have courage. Following her miraculous cure, Jesus rewarded faith again by bringing an official’s daughter back to life. Giving the Twelve authority to preach and heal in His name, Jesus sent them forth with the instruction not to pack even money or a change of clothes. They would not always encounter welcome and receptiveness as they preached the Kingdom of

Even with Jesus asleep in their boat, the Disciples panicked in a storm. Awakened, Jesus made a quick comment about their lack of faith and calmed the wind, waves, and His friends. Forgiving the sins of a paralyzed man failed to convince skeptics of Jesus’ authority, at least until He cured the paralysis, too. Deeming some manmade rules useless, Jesus said that no one puts new wine into old wineskins, because fermentation would burst skins already stretched to the limit. Likewise, putting a new patch on old cloth would pull at a tear when the

Zechariah doubted an angel’s promise of a son in his old age. He then lost the ability to speak until he named the baby John, as the angel had directed. The son became John the Baptist. At age 12, Jesus stayed behind after the Passover festival in Jerusalem. After three days of anxious searching, Mary and Joseph found Him conversing with teachers in the Temple. After that, Jesus humbly obeyed His parents as He grew up. In His adult ministry, the Lord told a parable about finding a lost sheep, bringing it back, and celebrating with friends and

Praying without babbling and donating to the poor without showing off seem easy enough. Loving enemies and giving to anyone who asks may seem excessive, and the Lord’s advice to “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” seems impossible. By way of example, Jesus became vulnerable on Earth, loving and giving of Himself. People can do the same! If God seems to ask too much of us, do we tell Him what steps we think He should take or trust that He always goes the extra mile in leading us to eternal life?

In danger from drought and persecution, the Old Testament prophet Elijah took refuge in a cave. A voice told him that the Lord would pass by. Next came a gale, an earthquake, and fire, followed by the whisper of God sending Elijah back out into the world with a promise to provide for him. Jesus later called His followers "light of the world" and "salt of the earth." Even when pummeled by hardship, we have opportunities to let our faith shine for others. Like salt that seasons food, we should let faith flavor our words. On the Cross, Jesus instr