My brothers and sisters in Christ, it is time to stay away from and give up everything that keeps us from loving God, listening to His word, accepting His word, following Him and living out His commandments. So let us detach ourselves from earthly attachments and keep Jesus’s teaching in today’s gospel reading in mind.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is time to wake up and like Jesus, reemphasize the importance of the Sacrament of Matrimony in our lives as Catholic Christians because this sacrament reflects God's self-giving love in the love spouses have for each other; in the act of procreation and in the act of educating our children in the Catholic faith.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, if we wish to attain heaven, we must be prepared to truly follow Christ by cutting off every and all things that will make us not attain the kingdom of heaven by resisting our evil inclinations. Then through sacrifice, give up things that are needed and that are dearest to our human nature and avoid the temptations of the devil.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, as Jesus reminded us in today’s gospel reading to be the last of all and the servant of all, if we wish to be first, let us become better servants and disciples of Christ by becoming true servants of all in our devotedness to God, in our obedience to Him, by being humble and by being honest in our service to Him and in our dealings with others.
My dear brothers and sisters, as Jesus reminds us of the demands of discipleship today, let us answer our call to discipleship better by knowing and acknowledging Christ in our lives; by denying our own desires, interests and needs for the greater glory of God’s name; by taking up our crosses daily and by following Christ as we live out our faith through our works.
It is time to be healed of our spiritual deafness and muteness, so let sincerely listen to God’s word proclaimed to us. Let us acknowledge and receive God’s word proclaimed and explained to us. Then let us go out and proclaim God’s word and our faith in Him to the world.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is time to become better Christians and doers of God’s word by exemplifying God’s love for us in our thoughts, words and actions daily and by loving others as God loves us. So, let us focus more on God’s commandments and center our hearts not just on the laws or on our self-glorification which nullifies our good acts, rather, let concentrate on God, and on our love for Him and our neighbors.
My dear friends in Christ, saying “yes” to God entails loving Him and surrendering to Him by listening to His Word, accepting His Word, and putting His Word in practice. So let us say “no” to the world and “yes” to God like Joshua and Simon Peter in today’s readings, then firmly follow Christ by truly believing in Him and by showing the world that He has the words of eternal life and is indeed the Holy One of God.
Let us be truly present, and sincerely participate actively in the Holy Eucharist with a sense of obligation, love, faith, confidence, devotion, and reverence. Let us also receive the Body and Blood of Christ in a state of grace, properly prepared by the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and visit Him regularly in the Blessed Sacrament where He remains ever ready to receive us and listen to our requests.
My brothers and sisters, today we are once again reminded of the importance of the Eucharist in our lives as Christians and how to come closer to God through the Eucharist. So let us come closer to God through the Eucharist by: Participate actively, devoutly and spiritually in the Mass, Frequent or daily reception of the Eucharist (in a state of grace), Go to confession regularly, Visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and Daily Spiritual Communion.
Let us sincerely and truly participate actively in the Eucharistic celebration so as to receive that food that never perishes, but endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man has given us.
My brothers and sisters, let us always participate prayerfully and actively in the celebration of the Eucharist because true and authentic participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, identifies us with Jesus’s Heart, sustains our strength along the pilgrimage of this life, makes us long for eternal life, and unites us even now to the Church in heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints.
My brothers and sisters, as today’s readings remind us to love God because of His loves us, let us do so by repenting from our sins, by being obedient to Him, by being loyal to Him, by practicing and living out the gospel of Christ, and by deepening our faith in Him through prayer, meditation and the reading of the Holy Scriptures.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us go out into the world and truly share Christ with others by proclaiming and teaching His gospel fearlessly and solely with His power and authority. Let us also avoid all distractions with prayer, so that we can focus and concentrate on our mission of evangelizing the world.
Let us follow Christ’s example in today’s gospel reading by being patient and persevering when we are rejected, persecuted, cajoled, threatened, maltreated and abused for the sake of gospel, because our reward will be great in heaven.
