Jesus tells us of our importance to the Father.

He knows everything about us to the smallest detail.

We are encouraged to hold fast to the truth about our God and to fully live out our faith.

Even if we are persecuted for our beliefs and even harmed bodily, we must still stay with the truth.  Our souls will then not be harmed.

There are many challenges to adhering to the truth of our faith.  Are we prepared to hold to that truth?

The commandments are meant to help us survive.

Yet, Jesus sets an additional higher standard based on love.

We must be clear in our commitments to what he taught.

Will we say yes?

Do not hide your light.

Let your good deeds give glory to your Heavenly Father.

You can be the light and salt that encourages others.

The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light.

Jesus is the light of the world… The light of forgiveness, healing and salvation.

Will we seek the tremendous power of the light?

Jesus is our Savior.

Through Baptism, He brings the Holy Spirit to guide us in a special personal way.

Are we prepared to live our lives in accordance with what he has taught us?

We will all experience an end of time in our lives.

Faithfulness to a life with Jesus as our focus will help us all to overcome all distractions.

We must keep our eyes and ears on Jesus’ example and message.

Strive to be worthy of the coming age,

and trust that God will help us,

to join Him in a life of eternal happiness.

Jesus wishes for those lost to sin to be saved.

Turn to Him, accept His invitation.

He will grant the mercy needed to be healed.

• Jesus offers a path to God’s mercy…
• … a humble heart.
•  “… for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”        Luke 18:14  

• Persist in prayer.
• Continuing to pray demonstrates faith and trust.
• God will hear and answer.

• Give glory to God.
• He heals us and is present among us.
• Be thankful for all we have been given.
• Have faith in Jesus’ message.
• Is our faith strong enough to recognize Jesus’ saving action in our lives?

• Jesus tells us that even very tiny amounts of faith can be very powerful.
• Faith is necessary to be a disciple of Christ.
• Faith can enable us to do as God commands.
• Faith can be its own reward.
• Can we live the faithful life of stewardship Jesus asks of us?

• Jesus tells us wealth and status can be impediments to reaching heaven.
• We place too much importance on holding onto these temporal possessions.
• We cannot serve both God and mammon, as noted in last Sunday’s Gospel.
• All that we have is given by the grace of God.
• All we have is to be used to honor and glorify God.
• All we have is to be used, in part, to care for those who are in need.
• Will we be like the rich man and “not listen” to God’s message?
• Where do we recognize Lazarus in our lives?
• What should we do about it?

• Handle the affairs of temporal life with an eye toward eternal life.
• Trustworthiness is an important virtue, in the handling of all things.
• Those who can be trusted in small things can also be trusted in great things.
• Jesus teaches that His laws must always come first.
• His priorities must be our priorities.
• Putting anything above Him, but especially wealth will put us in conflict with ourselves.
• This, we cannot resolve.
• Can we resist the temptation to try to “have it all”?

• There is always an opportunity in life for forgiveness and redemption.
• No matter what one has done, Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation is always available for forgiveness.
• There is always hope.
• When we turn to Jesus, He will run to greet us.
• We are truly important to Him and He will not let us down.
• Jesus is, indeed, out looking for us, calling to us.
• Can you hear Him?

• Jesus tells us that discipleship is not easy.
• Sometimes we will experience rifts in relationships.
• Frequently we must make sacrifices to live in accord with God’s will.
• Jesus tells us to think carefully of how we are conducting ourselves, lest we neglect to prepare for potential pitfalls ahead of us.
• We must not let anything get in the way of what Jesus wants us to do as His disciple.
• Not relatives who object, nor possessions which give us comfort should hinder our forward progress in discipleship.
• Are you looking forward?

• Everything we are and have comes from God.
• Let not social status or earthly possessions ever lead you to think otherwise.
• Humility, not pride, is what God asks of us.
• Be generous to others who cannot repay you.
• Be generous to those in need and those who are less able.
• You will be held in high esteem by your God and you will be rewarded mightily.
• What position at the banquet table will you take?

• The passion for mission Jesus noted in last week’s gospel is revisited today.
• Jesus tells us that we must work hard to join Him in heaven.
• We must be strong, persistent and dedicated to our mission.
• It is not enough to passively seek proximity to Jesus.
• Instead, he wants us to actively and passionately engage.
• We must seek the Father’s will and then live it, as He did.
• What is it that gets in your way of taking those daring steps?

• Jesus speaks with passion and intensity about His mission.
• His mission was not to smooth over or tolerate compromise between God’s will and the preference of individuals.
• Nor was it to accept indifference or a lukewarm attitude in His followers.
• His mission was to challenge complacency and creature comforts.
• People must make a choice between what they want and what God wants.
• Jesus offered his life for his mission in the baptism of fire that was His crucifixion.
• Are you willing to make the sacrifices to ignite a passion for your mission?

• Jesus encourages us to follow Him in faith and our relationship with others.
• It is so easy to get caught up in things that keep us from our obligations to our God and to each other.
• His promises must always be kept before us, so as to never forget that our salvation is at hand.
• We must live as if He is coming at any moment.
• We prepare for His coming by always being good stewards of all He has given us, in wealth and talent.
• What are we responsible for? Are we paying attention?

• God wants us to focus our lives on Him first.
• We often focus on worldly wealth.
• But in God’s eyes, wealth comes with grace, prayer and charity toward neighbor.
• Focus on self distracts us from our mission to care for and bring Jesus to others.
• This charity will store up heavenly treasure.
• And what could possibly be more valuable for our immortal souls?

· Jesus tells us that His Father wants us to ask for His help.
· He wants us to recognize His greatness, His love for us and His endless mercy.
· When we ask the Father for His help, we recognize our place – as His child.
· When we boldly ask for the Father’s help, we profess our faith in His benevolence.
· When we persist in our request we demonstrate our trust.
· Will you ask the Father?
· He is waiting for your petition.

• The worries of life must be kept in perspective.
• We must first attend to our relationship with Jesus.
• The peace of doing God’s will in your life will overshadow the tensions of worry.
• Tasks must be completed but only after we have set our mental house in order.
• Nothing must take the better part of our existence away from us.
• What in your life must be put in order?

• Jesus teaches us the meaning of mercy and love of neighbor.
• The life we now live is a prelude to eternal life.
• How we live it now is how we will live it in the future.
• Our love of God is demonstrated in our love of neighbor.
• Your neighbor is everyone around you.
• Jesus will tend to your wounds to help you better love and serve Him and your neighbor.

• Jesus prepares his disciples for their mission: Spreading the Gospel to the world.
• He prepares them for possible rejection and hostility.
• This guidance is for us as well.
• Our mission is imperative.
• But Jesus provides the grace to sustain us.
• Where?
• Here, in the celebration of the Eucharist.
• Will you seek the power that Mass can offer you?

• Jesus was about to go to Jerusalem for the completion of His mission.
• He said come follow me to those who wanted to participate with Him.
• He says to us your mission is to live and proclaim the good news in your world.
• Let nothing get in your way or distract you.
• Life must be about a focus on mission and the primacy of God in all things.
• Are you ready?

• Jesus tells His disciples that they must first be aware of their own interior motives and attitudes.
• For no matter how much we know, if we do not live the life we preach to others, our message is meaningless, or worse destructive.
• We live what is in our hearts be that good or evil.
• Can you be honest with yourself and with God about your actions and your motives?
• Can you allow humility to replace humanity’s greatest failing – pride?

• Jesus’ intent is to change the way the world works.
• Jesus’ message is to completely revise how we deal with our neighbor and, indeed, even our enemies.
• If love is to conquer evil it must start at a most basic level with each of us.
• Do not treat others in a way that expects a reward or something in return for your actions.
• Rather, let mercy and love guide you in every action.
• This is a radically different way compared to what the world teaches.
• Jesus expects a radically different change in the world as his teachings are implemented.
• Will you be part of this change?

• Jesus was the first to bring us this most common and most popular rule of life.
• Similarly, we are not to condemn, judge, or be reluctant to forgive.
• Jesus expects us to learn from him and live our lives accordingly.
• His mission was to further the building of the kingdom and our part is to help human beings live in a peaceful and reasonable way.
• Our actions can either help in the building of the kingdom or do things to tear it down.
• How can we just make things a little bit better?
• Can we apply what Jesus said to a part of our life today?