Spirituality
‘Give to Caesar,’ But Keep God at the Center of Life
Human governance is necessary even when it isn't perfect, explains Msgr. Joseph Prior. He unpacks the meaning of the command of Jesus to "give to God what is God's" -- which is to trust God and assent to His will.
Accepting the Invitation to God’s Feast
This week’s readings remind us that God invites all people to share in the heavenly feast, calling us to respond with gratitude, faith, and lives rooted in Christ.
God Loves Us With Persistent, Immeasurable Love
Msgr. Joseph Prior can point to definitions of love in a dictionary and signs of loving families, spouses and friends. But it's the life-giving sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that best shows the love of God for everyone.
Gospel Calls Us to Live God’s Way, the Way of Mercy
This Sunday's Gospel parable -- two sons are called, only one acts -- invites us to ponder God’s mercy and His invitation to repentance. It calls us to reflect on our attitude toward God’s gracious call and show mercy to others.
God’s Lavish Love is Given Not by Our Merit, But by His Mercy
Msgr. Joseph Prior explains this Sunday's Gospel and the parable of the Generous Landowner, representing God who gives His love, compassion, mercy and goodness to people not because we love Him but because of who He is.
The Confiteor: The Culturally Unfashionable Prayer
People apologize in ways that don’t admit fault, but Father Patrick Brady shows how an innovative prayer of the Mass seeks God’s mercy to repair relationships damaged by sin.
Mercy, the Medicine of Life, Is God’s Gift to Us
Jesus' mission is to share the Father's mercy, writes Msgr. Joseph Prior. Not only does this mercy help heal us, it also helps heal the wounds inflicted by the merciless.
The Messiah Who Suffers, and Calls Us to Follow
God saves us not by avoiding suffering but by bearing it, entering into it and transforming it from within, and showing us the way we should follow Jesus each day, writes Father Eric Banecker.
Work of Healing Relationships Done With Love, in Model of Jesus’ Passion
The readings for this Sunday concern reconciliation when the bonds of communion among persons are damaged or broken. Jesus directs us to work together, with His help, to heal those wounds, writes Msgr. Joseph Prior.
Path of Life, Marked by Sacrifice, Runs Through Jesus
This Sunday's Gospel presents two ways of life: the path of life and the path of death. The choice for the latter, writes Msgr. Joseph Prior, will paradoxically include death for the disciples of Jesus but also to eternal life with Him.