"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Mary, through her Assumption, shares in her Son's risen glory. She is our model of Christian hope.

"Be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks." Being a disciple of Jesus requires us to be ever vigilant and never complacent. We are to be "ready to greet him when he comes again."

"The things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?" To whom do our hearts belong? To whom do our possessions belong? The Gospel challenges us to store up treasure in heaven.

One of the disciples said, "Lord, teach us to pray..." Jesus said, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name." The Our Father is our model for Christian prayer.

"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." Christian action must spring from hearing the Word of God.

"Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?' He answered, 'The one who treated him with mercy.' Jesus said to him, 'Go and do likewise.'" The imitation of Christ is clear: We are to extend the mercy of God to everyone we meet.

"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." The evangelized are not full evangelized until they become the evangelizer. Let us pray for all believers to identify as missionary disciples.

"No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God." If we are serious about following Jesus, it means no turning back. But that total commitment to Christ gives us the freedom to love.

"Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied." On this great solemnity, we give thanks for Christ's gift of the Eucharist.

"He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine." The triune God invites us to share and to participate in the divine life they share with each other. It is the very meaning of salvation.