Ordinary Time, 25th Sunday (A) A parable about a landowner with a vineyard should make us think of God, the Garden of Eden, and the people of Israel. If God is the landowner, then who are the workers? That's us.

The story contains several surprises. First, the master keeps welcoming new workers. Other landowners hire their workers right away in the morning. This Master always has room for more people who say, "Yes".

Second, he has a foreman, so why is he the one recruiting? Jesus is among us and he himself is inviting us to come work in his vineyard.

Third, everyone is paid equally. In the end, God only has one gift to give: the gift of himself. Everyone receives Communion with the Trinity as a reward for their Yes.

Finally, let us talk about the attitude of a servant. St. Paul is writing this letter from a jail cell as he awaits his sentence. He will either live of die. But he has no fear because he has given his life to the Lord. He has served the master faithfully.

Our lives do not belong to us. We signed up to work in his vineyard; we have chosen to serve Jesus. So why do we keep trying to be the master, and make our lives work for us? Let us go out into the fields each day as confident servants. No one ever regrets serving Jesus faithfully. Now is the time to say Yes to the Master; now is the time to go work in His vineyard.

(20 Sep 2026)

Going Deeper: The human person is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by so doing save his or her soul; and it is for the human person that the other things on the face of the earth are created, as helps to the pursuit of this end.

It follows from this that the person has to use these things in so far as they help toward this end, and to be free of them in so far as they stand in the way of it.

To attain this, we need to make ourselves indifferent toward all created things, provided the matter is subject to our free choice and there is no prohibition.

Thus for our part we should not want health more than sickness, wealth more than poverty, fame more than disgrace, a long life more than a short one – and so with everything else; desiring and choosing only what leads more to the end for which we are created. (source)

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Ordinary Time, 23rd Sunday (A) If God is our Father, then what does that make us? We and our fellow Christians are brothers and sisters. In Matthew 18, Jesus talks about what it means to be a child of God and how we should treat our brothers and sisters.

Here's a brief summary:

Matthew 18:3 - You need to humble yourself like a little child.

Matthew 18:6 - Don't cause a brother to sin.

Matthew 18:8 - Get rid of all sin (it keeps you from being a little one).

Matthew 18:14 - God will make sure that none of his little ones is lost.

And that brings us to today's Gospel. What do you do when you are trying to be a little one, a good child of God, and someone else hurts you? Go talk to him about it. If he repents, then you and your brother can have a stronger relationship. If he refuses to listen just to you, then include one or two other brothers. Lastly, you need to involve the church.

The church has a mission. If our members are sabotaging the mission, they can no longer be part of the church. The early church was serious about their obligations to be a child of God, a little Christ, and a brother to fellow Christians.

Gather with fellow Christians and pray for the repentance and healing of wayward brothers. Jesus is with us in our struggles. How would your last argument with your spouse look or feel if Jesus was right there the whole time?

Jesus treated gentiles and tax collectors with love and he always invited them to become God's children. In a similar way, we must stay in God's love and invite others to come into the light. If God is our father, then we are each brothers and sisters. Let us act like brothers and sisters.

(6 Sep 2026)

Going Deeper: If you happen to find yourself talking about the hurtful actions of a third person, pause right then and there and pray together for that person.

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Ordinary Time, 21st Sunday (A) CESAREA PHILIPPI - Jesus of Nazareth today revealed the blueprints of a brand new building project. Jesus first affirmed his true identity as "the Christ" and the "Son of God." He then shocked his followers by choosing Simon the fisherman to be the foundation of his new church. In an apparent rebranding, Simon's name was changed to "Rocky." "I give you the keys of the kingdom," Jesus said, in a reference to Isaiah 22. "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

The site of the press conference in northern Palestine took advantage of Cesarea Philippi's impressive wall of rock as a dramatic backdrop. Reference was also made to the ancient pagan temple, the "gates of hell," at the base of the rock. There has been controversy over whether Simon's relatives had supported or opposed his candidacy; one of his brothers and two cousins are also Jesus's followers. Jesus was confident that this will complete a project his Father began more than a millennium ago. His followers seemed caught off-guard by the announcement and gave conflicting answers as to when and how construction would begin. The press was not given access to any blueprints and Jesus did not answer any questions.

Editor's Note: This story was temporarily embargoed and is only being published now after Jesus's untimely death and rumored resurrection.

(23 Aug 2026)

Going Deeper: How does the Catholic Church's persistence through history witness to Jesus as the true rock? Is your life built on Jesus Christ?

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What is a pilgrimage? It is a journey to a holy place. Native American peoples have sacred places. Hindus, Buddhists, and Shinto have shrines and holy sites. The Exodus out of Egypt was a kind of pilgrimage. Jews would make a pilgrimage once or even three times a year to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship God on his Holy Mountain.

The call to follow Jesus is a call to pilgrimage. If you've seen The Chosen, you realize how much time Jesus spent walking with his disciples following him. For Christians, the first pilgrimage destination is Palestine, the Holy Land. After that are the tombs of the Apostles in Rome and Spain, then Marian apparition sites, then any shrine or basilica.

Twenty years ago I walked the Camino for the first time. That led to many walking pilgrimages here in the states. Pilgrimages can teach us so much. Our life on earth is a pilgrimage. Sunday Mass is a pilgrimage.

The destination is important, but the journey also changes us. The Eucharist sustains us on our pilgrimage to heaven. I have three suggestions for you fellow pilgrims:

1. Keep Walking.
2. Walk With Others.
3. Trust the Journey.

May Jesus be the food for your journey. ¡Buen Camino!

(14 Aug 2026)

Going Deeper: Consider making a pilgrimage this year.

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Ordinary Time, 18th Sunday (A) Romans 8:35 is a great passage to memorize. St. Paul has experienced all kinds of anguish and distress but the love of God has conquered it. The Romans will need to believe in God's love to survive the coming persecution.

Isaiah 5 is about how the people trusted in themselves and bore rotten fruit. Isaiah 55 shows that God will restore and renew the people once they have been purified. Even our sins don't separate us from the love of God!

If we rely on ourselves and to avoid anguish, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness and all the rest... we will bear rotten fruit.

If we trust in God, then he will bring us through anguish, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness and all the rest, and we will bear great fruit... and conquer overwhelmingly!

(2 Aug 2026)

Going Deeper: Memorize all or a part of Romans 8:31b-39

31b If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

33 Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Christ [Jesus] who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

35 What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?

36 As it is written: “For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us.

38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things,* nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Ordinary Time, 16th Sunday (A) You come to Mass most Sundays, and even Holy Days of Obligation. You try not to swear or drink too much or gossip. You are learning to pray and you want to follow Jesus as faithfully as you can.

Meanwhile you know many people--friends, coworkers, your children, siblings, even a spouse--who don't seem to care. They spend every Sunday working, sleeping, or doing basically everything but coming to church. Maybe they drink, gossip, and swear as much as they like. Jesus doesn't seem to care.

If that's the situation you find yourself in, than this parable is for you. Good seed and bad weeds are growing side-by-side. The Master isn't doing anything about it. But he has a plan: "Let them grow until harvest time. Then we will save the wheat and burn up the weeds."

This parable is taken from daily life in Palestine. The people relied heavily on wheat. A clever local weed called darnel looks just like wheat. But when the heads form, you can easily tell the difference.

What is the big difference between weeds and good crops?

The wheat, or any other crop for that matter, produces something that is useful to others. They have a gift to give. The crops are givers.

The weeds have nothing to give away to anyone. They are in it for themselves. The weeds are takers.

To God, the world looks like a field full of weeds and wheat. The world is full of givers and takers. At the moment, it may appear that following Jesus and living for others makes no difference. God seems to be indifferent to this situation. But there will be a reckoning, a final judgement, a harvest. When Jesus tells us, "Do not judge," he is not saying there will be no judgement. He is saying that we are sitting in his seat. He is the judge, and he knows the truth of every human heart. We need to trust in God's final judgement.

So why is he waiting? God is waiting for the fruits to appear. He is giving us time to weed our hearts so we can start producing good fruit. It's not just those other people that need time to produce; God is waiting for us. He made us good seed. We are meant to bear good fruit. But the enemy has sown weeds in our hearts. If we don't weed our hearts, we will bear bad fruit. And we will face the fire at harvest time

(19 July 2026)

Going Deeper: Focus on cultivating your own heart and don't worry about the other people.

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Ordinary Time, 15th Sunday (A) When scripture talks about a gardener, a vineyard owner, or a sower, we are meant to think of God. God "gardened" the world into existence by speaking his word. The world simply receives God's word and does what he says. 

Human hearts are more complicated. Matthew chapter 12 shows much opposition to Jesus's word. In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus changes his preaching style. He keeps preaching the truth, but now in riddles or puzzles. You won't be able to receive it if your heart is not open.

We have a responsibility to cultivate the soil of our hearts. The hard soil makes me think of friends, family, and media that scoffs at or dismisses Catholic faith. The rocks are like the hurts and wounds that lurk under the surface. We need to open to God's word the places that have become fossilized by self-protection and self-reliance. Finally, the weeds can speak to all the places where our schedules are overgrown.

God has put a lot of care into you... is he seeing any fruit? We need to cultivate a heart that is ready to receive and grow God's word. 

(12 Jul 2026)

Going Deeper: Can you think of any birds you need to shoo or weeds you need to pull?

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Ordinary Time, 13th Sunday (A) God sees us and he rewards hospitality. A woman of influence feeds and houses Elisha. He wants to reward her, so he promises her a son. God sees the desire of her heart even though she refuses to acknowledge it. He gives her the gift she doesn't even dare to dream about. Then he takes the boy away from her; then he gives him back to her.

Is God being cruel? God knows that our deepest desire is for God himself. Here at Mass, Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them. He does this so that we will welcome Him into our hearts and into our homes. He wants to transform us so that we can welcome others and truly love them.
God welcomes us so that
we will welcome him so that
we can welcome others.

God sees, God knows, and God understands. And he will give you what you most deeply desire.

(28 Jun 2026)

Going Deeper: Read 2 Kings 4:8-37 for yourself. There's a further reference in 2 Kings 8:1-6.

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Ordinary Time, 12th Sunday (A) You spend a couple hours playing in the basement building the world's most amazing marble track. Then along comes your brother... and maliciously smashes everything! How do you respond? You might yell, cry, call him names, go smash something of his... or you might go tell Mom everything. This Mom has the time to listen and she really understands. And she assures you that she and Dad are going to take care of it.

We could go a step further and imagine that your mom was watching the whole time. She saw your creativity and your delight. And she knew what your brother was thinking. God heads off evil more often than we realize. But he doesn't save every marble track.

God sees everything. We always have his attention, because he never stops loving us. Even a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without him seeing it. God is watching everyone. This gives Jeremiah confidence when his friends turn against him. God wants the nation of Israel to trust in him and live their covenant by caring for each other and the poor.

We need to live our lives with the confidence that God is watching at every moment. Even if mom didn't see, even if dad wasn't there for us, God sees everything and he is there for us. The Lord sees you and he understands.

(21 Jun 2026)

Going Deeper: What does Christian fatherhood mean to you? Listen to Tony's and Steve's reflections and then draft a brief reflection of your own.

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Ordinary Time, 11th Sunday (A) The Israelites leave Egypt, cross the Red Sea, and spend a year and a half at the foot of Mt. Sinai. It is here that God gives them the Law and they become "The Chosen People."

Christians believe that we, too, are the chosen people. But we also believe that we have been given authority and a mission to bring the love and truth of Jesus Christ to all peoples. Every Christian participates in the mission work throughout the world. Fr. Augustine Adetola shares the needs in his home Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria. They focus on education, health care, and basic services.

Some give by going and others go by giving. Pray for the mission work of the church throughout the world and donate to support the missions.

(14 Jun 2026)

Going Deeper: Learn more about the Diocese of Ijebu-Ode.

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