Know - Grow - Go

Cleansing the Temple of the Heart

Each of us is a temple of God, a dwelling place for the Spirit. So perhaps the Gospel is inviting us to something deeper: maybe Jesus wants to help us clean out our own temple. We can’t do it alone. We need Jesus to help drive out the money changers: those fears, distractions, and habits that fill our lives with noise and confusion. If we let Him, He’ll cleanse our hearts so that what flows out of us is no longer muck, but clear, living water.   Readings at this Mass: Ez 47:1–2, 8–9, 12 | 1 Cor 3:9c–11, 16–17 | Jn 2:13–22

Praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Purgatory is the purification, the liberation, the healing that we still need — even after death — to prepare us for the immense, tremendous life that God has in store for us in Heaven. Purgatory is very different than Hell; it’s not “Hell Lite.” It’s got nothing to do with condemnation, fear, or punishment. It’s about a Father who loves us so much that even after death, He refuses to give up on us and leave us incomplete, too weak to stand in the dazzling light of His presence.   Readings at this Mass: Wis 3:1–9 | Rom 5:5–11 | Jn 6:37–40

The Humble Truth

Jesus' parable of the self-righteous Pharisee and the humble tax collector illustrated well the destiny of those who are truly humble and those who are truly arrogant. Humility is not a weakness, despite what our culture says; it is a great strength. It takes a strong person to not let one's ego take over.   Readings at this Mass: Sir 35:12–14, 16–18 | 2 Tm 4:6–8, 16–18 | Lk 18:9–14

Pray Always

God wants to answer our prayers for ourselves not necessarily by removing the suffering, but by giving us His presence — relationship. He doesn’t always take away pain or magically fix our lives. He comes to be with us in those sufferings. And when we invite Him into those hard places, they’re transformed from within. They become something beautiful; something that can make us better, that can become a gift. That’s what God wants for us, but it all begins with prayer He's just waiting for us to ask.    Readings at this Mass: Ex 17:8–13 | 2 Tm 3:14—4:2 | Lk 18:1–8

Walking with Jesus on the Margins

We will never understand our faith in a deep way unless we’re willing to grapple with the inseparable relationship between Jesus and the poor. A familiar, comfortable, “me and Jesus” faith is never enough. If we really want to walk with the Lord – if we really want to know him – then we have to walk with the poor, on the margins. In a country as large and as affluent as ours, it takes special care not to lose sight of the Gospel’s demand that we care for the poor — and even more care to not merely lend material aid and then forget that the poor are also persons worthy of our time and respect.   Readings at this Mass: 2 Kgs 5:14–17 | 2 Tm 2:8–13 | Lk 17:11–19