Many people believe that God alone determines our future in heaven or hell, but they forget we are coworkers with God. How we will ultimately experience heaven, the presence of God, will be determined by how our hearts are prepared to experience His love. In other words, though we will all find ourselves in heaven, if our hearts are not in the right place, we will create our own hell.

In the story of two miracles told in the Gospel of Luke 8.41-56, we hear of the healing of the woman with the flow of blood and the raising of Jairus’ daughter. In both cases we are taught the great gift of patience and humility. They are companions as we can’t have patience without humility. We will never be humble if we can’t be patient. But when we embrace both patience and humility we can be healed by God.

When we are faced with temptations and struggles that seem to overwhelm us, we can find comfort knowing that demons have no power over us without God’s permission. There is once exception when we give them permission through our love for sinful living or such boldness as playing with demons.

In the Parable of the Sower found in Luke 8.5-15, our Lord explains His parable so we can know the mysteries of God. We are the soil that receives the word of God in our hearts, and we are the fruit and seeds that He sends out into the world in order to produce even more fruit for the glory of God. But like any garden soil needs constant attention and work to remain fertile, our hearts need constant work through prayer, fasting, almsgiving and the sacramental life of the Church to become and ultimately remain rich fertile soil.

Just when we think we are all alone and have no place to turn, God is there for our comfort and peace. As revealed in the raising of the widow’s son (see Luke 7.11-16) God is always able to comfort our heart when no other comfort is possible. Through His physical touch and presence, His power is enough to defeat death and any other pain that troubles our heart. He has promised to be with us in His Church through Holy Communion. Do you need comfort? Come into the Church and find God’s presence.

It is easy to love those who love us back, but even sinners do the same. This is reminder from Christ in the Gospel on the Second Sunday of Luke. (see Luke 6.31-36) As Christians we are called to higher form of love than what is easy in the world. We are called to love whether or not someone loves us back. We are called to love whether or not someone is nice to us. We are called to love even our enemies, because everyone is worthy of mercy and love.

When considering the Gospel story of the calling of the Disciples as told in Luke 5.1-11, we must remember the Lord is calling us to go out and fill the Church with faithful. Unfortunately, many times we are too busy with our own agenda and cannot recognize Christ when we hear Him calling us. If could only engage the life of the Church so we could recognize God when we meet Him. Then we will be willing to leave everything behind and follow Christ.

Christ tells a story of a vineyard which is lent out to workers. Unfortunately for the workers, when they tried to keep the fruit of the vineyard to themselves, the master of the vineyard took it away from them and gave it to other workers. Of course, it isn’t a vineyard the Lord is speaking about. The vineyard is the Church, and we will all be called to account for the fruit of the Church.

We like to think we want to be with God in heaven, but when we hear what is expected of us, how many times do we turn away from God and walk away? We hear of a rich man in Matthew 19.16-26 who said he wanted eternal life, but when God told him he had to sell everything and give it all to the poor, he left sad. For this man, it was money. What keeps you away from God?

Jesus calls us each of us to forgive others from our heart or risk eternal torment. Many however find it difficult to forgive others because we feel the pain of the sin. In Psalm 50 we pray, “Against You only have I sinned and done that which is evil in your sight.” If our sin is only against God, then all sin is only against God. Maybe when we come to terms with the truth, then we can more easily forgive.