"Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Bartimaeus teaches us to always seek the Lord confidently, no matter what other people think.

"Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all." Many spiritual writers have observed that the virtue of humility is the gateway to all other virtues. Christ calls us to be servants.

"At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions." Salvation is found when we are able to live in freedom and to have God alone to be enough for us.

"What God has joined together, no human being must separate." Jesus gives his teaching on marriage and divorce.

"There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me." We are all called to serve the Lord.

"Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me." Jesus teaches us that discipleship is not self-serving or glory-seeking. We are called to humble service.

"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." Discipleship is the challenge of the Cross.

"He looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, 'Ephphatha!'-- that is, 'Be opened!' -- And immediately the man's ears were opened." God has spoken and God continues to speak. As he opens eyes and ears, we pray, too, that we would be aware of God's work in our lives.

"He summoned the crowd again and said to them, 'Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile." Holiness is found, not in our external piety, but within a heart that is set doing the will of God.

"I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." We ask for the new school year to be consecrated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and we ask for him to shepherd us through the coming months.