View From the Ambo

Continuing with the virtues and gifts of a steward, we ask to follow the mind of Jesus, who humble serves us.

We are invited to live lives of gratitude, which means we cannot be greedy or envious. What are we truly grateful for?

The John Ireland School Mass. St. Matthew recorded his story of how Jesus called him. Jesus calls us - what's our story going to be?

At an Ecumenical prayer service commemorating the the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther, we read of the vine and branches, and in the prayer, invited ourselves to continual pruning to be better witnesses and servant in the world.

Jesus tells us to forgive 77 times, from our heart. But forgiveness is hard, and we make it harder but not understanding what it really is. When we forgive others, we are more able to receive God's forgiveness. To receive God's love, we must let it go...

At the weekly John Ireland School Mass (done in dialog form), we asked ourselves what does Jesus' death and Resurrection, which we celebrate on the Exultation of the Cross, matter to us. What are we going to do?

Jesus gives the model of fraternal correction, and we are so hesitant to use it. Perhaps, we ought to ask some questions: Are we given authority to guide (like the watchmen of old)? Are we loving the other person? Is it a sin (Illegal, immoral, or unjust)? Are we loving the person we need to correct? Are we seeking conversion and reconciliation? Are we doing it in a manner that most protects everyone's dignity?

Jesus invites us to accept the cross in our life. It is not just in one area or one hardship, but the entirety of our lives that we need to accept the cross.

St. Peter answers the question of who Jesus is, and Jesus states that He will build His church on Peter. This means that we, the people who proclaim Jesus the Christ, are the Church, called to proclaim Him to all.

As we hear of Jesus' interaction with the Canaanite woman, we might reflect on the nature of race relations in our current day. If we are filled with the love of Christ, there will be no room for hate.