"We must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found." The Parable of the Prodigal Son teaches us that God loves us more than we could ever imagine.

"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." If we want to follow Christ, it means facing opposition and carrying a difficult cross. We are strengthened by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

"When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you." The Eucharist is the heavenly banquet here on Earth. Who do we invite to the table of the Lord?

"Go out to all the world and tell the Good News." Today's readings teach us about the universality of God's kingdom.

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord... He has remembered his promise of mercy." Mary's deep love for her Son inspires our own faith. She leads us to the risen glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Let us persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus." As disciples of Christ must be prepared to endure opposition for our beliefs. Jesus keeps us focused on our journey to the Kingdom of God.

"You must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect the Son of Man will come." We must always be ready to spring into action when Jesus calls us to help him establish the Kingdom of God.

"Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions." In today's Gospel, Jesus challenges us to not trust in our possessions but in God's providence.

"For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them the Our Father, a remarkable prayer of intimate trust in God's generous love.

"Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak." Listening to God's Word is equally important to doing God's Word.