The underlying theme to all three readings this week is faith. The prophet Habakkuk cries out to God with a question common to every human heart: Why does God allow evil to persist in the world? As you read these three passages, consider how God doesn't answer the question--and how he does. Ultim...

"Have an attitude of gratitude" is one of those catchphrases fit for bumper stickers and children's books. Yet, for Christians, this is more than a catchphrase. It is a basic command of Christian life. Notice in today's Gospel reading the ten lepers who were healed by Jesus. All ten turned to Jes...

Persistence in prayer is a theme Jesus returns to again and again. In today's Gospel reading we hear about a widow keeps coming back to the judge to demand justice. Finally, because of her persistence, the judge gives in to her demand. More than a lesson about nagging, this is a lesson the echoes...

Our modern culture frowns upon weakness and vulnerability. The world tells us that to get ahead we must be strong, competent, and self-sufficient. This view is in stark contrast to our readings today, which calls us to embrace our weakness, recognize our inherent poverty, and allow God to transfo...

Zacchaeus, the short, wealthy chief tax collector, was one of the most despised men in his community. Often corrupt and greedy, the tax collectors in Israel worked for the oppressive Roman regime, not only collecting taxes, but also adding their own fees to the total. Yet, Zacchaeus encountered J...

In this Sunday's Gospel reading, Jesus proclaims that the Lord is "not God of the dead, but of the living" (Luke 20:38). This may seem obvious to us now, but Jesus's words affirmed what we as Catholics believe about the Communion of the Saints. To be physically dead is not the same as being dead ...

Wars, famines, persecution, plagues, earthquakes, and signs falling from the skies are the warnings Jesus gives his listeners. How and when these times will come, only God knows. It is enough for Jesus to exhort his disciples — and all believers — to remember: "By your perseverance you will secur...

From the cross Christ invites us to share in his reign. We participate in his kingship by sacrificing ourselves in love—by caring for the weak and the sick, by helping those in need, by sharing our time and our very selves with those around us. In the end, love itself proves to be stronger than e...