Ordinary Time

Jesus’ response to our complaints, our preoccupation with everyone and everything else, is 'What about you?'. Don’t worry about them. You strive to enter through the narrow gate. You come and follow me. You be my disciple. The essence of being a Catholic Christian is transformation: bringing that relationship with Christ into everything else I do. If I’m only focused on the things I do or everyone else around me, I miss the most important thing: the relationship Christ is inviting me into.
 
Readings at this Mass: Is 66:18–21 | Heb 12:5–7, 11–13 | Lk 13:22–30

Jesus is not tame; He is God. And His peace is not like that of the world. Today's Gospel demonstrates that He knew that following Him would cause division. But following Him will also set your heart on fire with the Holy Spirit — filling you with joy beyond understand and providing hope that, no matter what befalls us, He's got us.
 
Readings at this Mass: Jer 38:4–6, 8–10 | Heb 12:1–4 | Lk 12:49–53 

True readiness for when Jesus comes again is about having a real, living relationship with Him. To abide with Him. And as we grow in that loving relationship, our hearts are moved to love and serve our families and neighbors, the poor and lonely. That’s how we keep our lamps lit and our hearts ready for the day when Jesus returns.
 
Readings at this Mass: Wis 18:6–9 | Heb 11:1–2, 8–19 | Lk 12:32–48

Our culture makes it hard to slow down. Depending on your stage of life, it might feel nearly impossible — jobs, kids, commitments, constant demands. So what’s the solution? Learn from the life of Jesus. Live at his speed — not a rushed speed, not a distracted pace. Can you picture Jesus cutting people off in traffic, or glued to his phone while talking to someone? Of course not! And as disciples, we are called to conform our lives to His: to slow down, to live attentively.
 
Click here to watch "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry"
 
Readings at this Mass: Eccl 1:2; 2:21–23 | Col 3:1–5, 9–11 | Lk 12:13–21

Fr. Bill has an unexpected conversation with God about the Lord’s Prayer.
 
Readings at this Mass: Gn 18:20–32 | Col 2:12–14 | Lk 11:1–13

True peace comes from having our hearts attached to the Lord’s and living out of that center. In letting His words speak to the deep places inside, letting them shape our thinking, our speaking, our choosing — even in our busyness. The Lord knows we lead busy lives. Jesus comes to us anyway and says, “I know you don’t have hours. How about just a few minutes. Can you give me that? Just a few minutes? Just for today?”
 
Readings at this Mass: Gn 18:1–10a | Col 1:24–28 | Lk 10:38–42 

How desperately we search for peace in all the wrong places: our achievements, possessions, wealth, travels, and more. But true peace can only come from abiding with God. When we serve faithfully, God abides with us. We don't serve others because of who they are, but because of who we are. And when we serve from a place of faith and love, we find that peace doesn't disappear — it grows.
 
Readings at this Mass: Dt 30:10–14 | Col 1:15–20 | Lk 10:25–37

Generally in the world we think of peace as an absence. They used to say, ‘Visualize world peace’ and they mean nations not fighting each other. But that is not what Christ is talking about — not an absence of conflict or struggle. It’s a presence; it’s something that can be with you. That’s the peace Christ comes to give us. We can’t say, ‘May an absence be with you.’ It’s a presence within us. It’s a way of being. And that way of being is love.
 
Readings at this Mass: Is 66:10–14c | Gal 6:14–18 | Lk 10:1–12, 17–20