By the Faithful Disciple GROW AS A DISCIPLE How often does ambition get in the way of holiness? In today’s Gospel, Jesus foretells his death, and the Apostles respond by arguing over who among them is most important. But the Apostles’ aspirations and motivation stand in stark contrast to the humility necessary for discipleship; their…

By the Faithful Disciple GROW AS A DISCIPLE “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel don’t leave much room for “secondary interpretation.” Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. At first glance this may sound intimidating, but let’s think…

By the Faithful Disciple GROW AS A DISCIPLE  My first thought upon reading today’s Scriptures is that by healing the deaf man, Jesus is fulfilling what God had said he was going to do since the time of the prophet Isaiah: “making the eyes of the blind see and opening the ears of the deaf,”…

By the Faithful Disciple GROW AS A DISCIPLE Traditions are so important to us! They help define and preserve our heritage and our communities while also offering comfort and stability. They shape our human world as we see and live it. But in today’s Gospel, Jesus scolds the Pharisees and scribes for allowing “the tradition…

By the Faithful Disciple GROW AS A DISCIPLE  “If it does not please you to serve the Lord, decide today whom you will serve.” Not much nuance or wiggle room in that phrase, is there? This is what Joshua said to the people in today’s first reading, when he gathered together all the tribes of…

By the Faithful Disciple GROW AS A DISCIPLE We tell our children, from a young age through their teen years: make wise choices. It’s a sort of catch-all to cover the endless possibilities of circumstances – good, bad, or neutral – they might find themselves in. But what does it mean to be wise? To…