Our Bodies Are God’s Temples

As much as we must respect the house of God, we must never forget that our very bodies are also dedicated temples of God. Today, we are called to cleanse our minds and hearts. We are called to make a whip of cords and search through our lives for any sinful inclination or vice that pollutes the temple of our bodies.

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Let Go of Vanity; Embrace the Cross

Like the steward who had to let go of what would have come to him as profit, Jesus is telling us today to make sacrifices, to let go of the vain things and fleeting pleasures of life for the greater good of making heaven. Our attachment to wealth and material possessions often obstacles the practice of our Christian virtues.

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Make God Happy; Bring Back the Lost

Rather than withdraw from God’s presence because your conscience disturbs you, remember that God is more interested in healing your wounds (sin wounds us) than punishing you. There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

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Prepare to Finish Well

You may have been born into a Christian home, received baptism as an infant, attended a missionary school, etc., but you must carry your cross to remain a Christian. If being a Christian does not inconvenience you, you are not behaving like Christ. If it does, silently carry your cross.

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Have a Christ-like Mind

I recently heard the story of some soldiers who broke into a tea shop because it was a cold winter morning, and they needed something warm to drink. When they left, the captain left some money for the shop owner to satisfy his conscience. The soldiers felt they had a right to steal the tea since no one would dare question them, but the captain had the mind of Christ. He left money for the shop owner.

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The Sin of Self-Interest

Why is it difficult to invite poor people to our celebrations? Why is it difficult to give a helping hand to people who may never help us in the future? Christianity is not about living a normal life; it is about being a “super-human” - helping people who cannot or will not help you when you need them.

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Love: The First and Greatest of all Commandments

Jesus was asked one question but gave two answers. He was asked, “Which is the first commandment?” but added the second. Why? Jesus knew that without adding the second, “Love your neighbour,” the first would be meaningless, yet the second is pointless without the first. As John puts it: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20). Loving God with all our heart, soul and might is not a matter of coming to Church it is rather a matter of loving our neighbour as ourselves.

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All Souls: The Day of the Dead

At the death of a person, there is usually grief and sadness, especially from his close friends and family members, but no sooner have the tears dried up than the person is completely forgotten! It is as though they never existed. Nothing can be more painful than knowing that a time will come when no living person will remember you anymore. Thank God the Church set aside this day for the living to remember the dead.

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Celebrating the Great Multitude of Saints in Heaven

Today’s celebration serves one purpose: to make us think of heaven and increase our longing for heaven. Don’t just be a Christian; strive to be an exceptional Christian; live according to the beatitudes, and follow what today’s Psalm says—generations after you will continue to celebrate you. Your name will be heard on the lips of many long after you have gone. This is what it means to live forever.

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We are Soldiers!

Today, St. Paul explains that as Christians, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. We fight against that thief who “comes only to steal, to kill and to destroy.” (John 10:10). No matter how good we are, we have enemies who would hate us not for the good we do but because they have been won over by the thief – the deceiver whose only goal is to destroy.

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Narrow is the Door that Leads to Salvation

The price of heaven is righteousness. It is not tithes, offerings or donations. It is not according to the number of times you attend church or which church you attend. Jesus said: “Many will come from east and west, and north and south, and sit at the table in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 13:29). Even though the door is narrow, it will accept many people. Some of those you have written off now (because they don’t attend your church or do not pretend like you) will enter heaven. Jesus said: “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” (Matthew 21:31)

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The Power of Love and Respect

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed, which starts very small but soon grows to become a thousand times bigger than the seed. Quarrels and fights in marriage are like grains of mustard seed. When these fights are not forgiven, they become like pieces of debris we fail to remove.

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