All 4 volumes are available in paperback & eBook format!
Amazon – Google Play – iTunes – Barnes and Noble – and more!
Do Not Worry
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?” Matthew 6:25–27
Understandably, those who have lived through famine or in abject poverty worry about providing food for themselves and their families. Though such concerns are natural, today’s Gospel calls those struggling to provide the basic necessities of life to trust and hope in God’s providence. The trust Jesus gently invites His followers to embrace is primarily directed at material needs, but it extends far beyond that to touch every aspect of our lives, drawing us into the superabundance of God’s all-encompassing providence.
When someone loses a loved one to severe illness or tragic death, our natural human compassion allows us to understand that person’s sorrow, and perhaps even despair. If someone loses a job unjustly, anger and resentment are understandable responses. Similarly, a person enduring chronic pain might struggle with discouragement and inner turmoil.
The beautiful way that Jesus speaks in today’s Gospel manifests His deep compassion and empathy for those whose struggles and concerns weigh them down. He understands worry and anxiety, sorrow and despair, anger and resentment. Unlike other teaching moments, Jesus does not speak with indignation to those burdened by these struggles. He does not rebuke them. Instead, He is tender, understanding, clear, and compassionate.
Three times in today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Do not worry.” These words are healing. Those who feel the weight of a cross and struggle with anxiety and other burdensome emotions must take these words to heart.
Though the words “Do not worry” most directly address anxious and fearful situations, they apply to nearly every difficulty we face, regardless of the nature of our emotional response. Jesus not only tenderly seeks to alleviate worry through His words, He also provides two vivid analogies: the birds of the air and the splendor of wildflowers.
The first analogy—God’s providence for the birds of the air—reveals that by trusting in God, we will never be left desolate or without basic needs. This does not mean we can live irresponsibly, refusing to work and take responsibility for our lives. Rather, it means God’s providence is absolute if we trust Him and serve His will.
The second analogy—the lesson of the wildflowers—is even more profound. Jesus elevates God’s providence to the level of splendor and a share in His eternal glory: “But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them” (Matthew 6:29). This does not mean God will grant us great material riches, for such things are not true splendor in His eyes. Being “clothed” in the beauty of a wildflower signifies the spiritual riches bestowed upon us by living in trust. These riches are of incomparable value, surpassing all the wealth and honors of this world. They point us to the eternal glory God has prepared for those who trust in Him—a spiritual splendor that far exceeds anything we can imagine and satisfies far beyond earthly consolations.
Reflect today on Jesus’ compassionate promise to provide you with all you need and to clothe you with His eternal splendor. What causes you to worry, be anxious, angry, confused, or despairing? When these emotional burdens are heavy, we need Jesus’ empathetic and clear words the most. Trust Him and trust in His providence. Our basic material needs and superabundant spiritual blessings are promised to us if we always put our trust in Him.
My Providential Lord, You are all-powerful and all-loving; You know me and my needs far better than I know myself. Help me to trust in You always, never doubting Your providence or Your promise to bestow the eternal riches of Your grace upon those who trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You.
New Wine
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
“Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.” Mark 2:22
The Gospel Jesus preached was new. It had the power to transform every soul into a new creation. What He preached was like “new wine.” The “old wineskins” referred to the rigid, erroneous, and legalistic interpretation of the Old Covenant given through Moses—the Mosaic Law. While the Law of Moses, which guided the people of Israel, was good and from God, it was only the beginning of the fullness of divine revelation, and its true meaning was often obscured and distorted by the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus was the one and only definitive interpreter of the Law and the Prophets, as well as its fulfillment.
The people listening to Jesus’ sermon would have understood His metaphor about wine and wineskins and the risk of using old, brittle wineskins for new wine. Wine undergoes a fermentation process in which yeast converts sugars into alcohol and releases gas. Today, this process typically occurs in controlled environments before the wine is bottled. In Jesus’ time, however, fresh grape juice was often placed into wineskins, commonly made from animal skin, where the fermentation process occurred within these flexible containers. This fresh grape juice was referred to as “new wine” because it had not yet fully fermented in the early stages of the winemaking process.
The “old wineskins” symbolize not the Mosaic Law itself, but the rigid and externalized interpretations of the Law that could not contain the dynamic and expansive grace of the Gospel. Jesus was fulfilling the Law, not abolishing it, elevating it from a focus on external observances to one of interior transformation. The “new wine” of the Gospel required “new wineskins,” representing hearts renewed by grace, open to the Spirit, and able to stretch and grow with the transformative power of Christ’s message.
One of the greatest challenges Jesus faced was the rigidity of the Pharisees and their misinterpretation and misapplication of the Mosaic Law. By excessively focusing on external and legalistic compliance with various precepts—including many of their self-imposed “traditions”—the Pharisees hindered the people from becoming malleable vessels ready to receive the life of grace. Instead of fostering openness to God’s transformative work, their approach imposed burdens that obscured the deeper purpose of the Law: leading souls to love God and neighbor.
Today, the temptation toward rigid, legalistic, and purely external adherence to the Law remains ever-present. While every letter of Christ’s Law must be observed with fidelity, we must also guard against reducing our faith to mere rule-following devoid of interior transformation. Within the Church, we are called to a radical orthodoxy—a deep and uncompromising fidelity to all that Christ teaches and clarifies through His Church. Yet, true orthodoxy is not only intellectual or external; it must be interior, living, and transformative. The new wine of the Gospel, including the various ways we practice and express our faith, continually stretches and expands us, challenging us to grow in love and humility.
Reflect today on this timeless metaphor. We are called to be new wineskins, ready to receive the New Wine of the Gospel each day. Just as yeast works within grape juice to transform it into fine wine, so too does grace work within us, bringing about our transformation. The wineskins can be seen as the ways we practice our faith and live in accord with God’s Law, given through the Church. This requires an ongoing openness to grace, allowing God to stretch and shape us in ways that challenge our comfort or assumptions. To be a malleable vessel means being open to change. Examine your faith and consider whether there are old and rigid habits, attitudes, or practices that prevent you from fully embracing the dynamic life of grace. Pray for the courage to let go of the old and embrace the new, trusting that Christ’s transformative grace will make you a vessel of His light and truth for the world.
Most transformative Lord, You desire to dwell within me and make me a new creation, the “new wine” of Your abundant grace. Remove from my heart every rigid tendency, habit, and attitude that hinders me from embracing the change You seek for me. Stretch and transform me, Lord, so that I may grow and expand in the ways Your Gospel demands. Jesus, I trust in You.
Bearing the Good Fruit of the Spirit
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” Luke 6:43–45
Saint Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, teaches that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” He also states that “the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like” (cf. Galatians 5:19–23). Saint Paul might have had Jesus’ teaching in today’s Gospel in mind as he wrote this to the Galatians.
Each fruit of the Spirit and each work of the flesh originate in the heart. Those whose hearts bring forth the works of the flesh “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Those who belong to Christ and “have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires” will bear the fruits of the Spirit. Though this teaching is straightforward and clear to a rational and objective person, living by the Spirit is much more challenging than living by the flesh.
While living by the Spirit brings forth good fruit, even those striving for holiness can sometimes fall into the trap of “spiritual navel-gazing”—an excessive focus on one’s interior experiences, emotions, or struggles. This self-centered preoccupation can inadvertently stifle true spiritual growth by neglecting the outward expressions of faith that are meant to flow from a heart united to God, such as love of neighbor, acts of service, and trust in God’s providence. In other words, an overemphasis on self can hinder the bearing of “good fruit.”
Though it is important to be introspective and self-aware in regard to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives, one of the best ways to do so is by looking at the fruit, or lack thereof, borne from our lives. Hence, the outward expressions of faith become just as important as the inward experiences.
This balance is essential for personal spiritual growth because our inward experiences alone are not always reliable. For example, the Gospel calls us to selfless sacrificial service of others, laying down our lives and carrying Christ’s Cross with Him, by grace. When we begin to live that way, our emotions might revolt, leaving us with dryness, interior conflict, confusion, and even a repulsion for sacrifice. If we relied only on how we felt, ignoring the exterior good fruit—or lack thereof—then we run the risk of being misled and abandoning the charity that manifests itself in good fruit.
Bearing good fruit is often a twofold process that combines human effort with divine grace. First, we actively work to cultivate natural virtues, such as patience, hard work, courage, prudence, and justice. These virtues are developed through repeated good actions, discipline, and perseverance in the face of disordered fleshly tendencies. This effort, however, is only possible because of God’s actual grace, which precedes and assists every good action we undertake.
Second, as natural virtues are formed through our cooperation with grace, we require an even greater outpouring of God’s sanctifying grace to elevate and perfect our efforts. God builds upon human nature, empowering us to grow in supernatural virtues, such as faith, hope, and charity, and to bear the fruits of the Spirit.
Reflect today on the fruits of your life. Do your actions reflect love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? If not, begin cultivating the foundational virtues of courage, self-control, justice, and prudence, while keeping your eyes on the faith and charity to which you are called. Beg for grace to perfect your efforts, trusting that God will transform your life and bring forth His good works through you.
Lord of abundant good fruit, I pray that I will be among those whose hearts are filled with goodness and virtue, bearing good fruit for Your Kingdom. When I struggle, am conflicted, and discouraged, please help me to press on, forming every natural virtue necessary so that Your grace builds on those virtues, producing good fruit for Your Kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You.
The Radical Call to Greatness!
Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” Mark 10:23–25
Today’s Gospel is radical! This passage follows Jesus’ discourse with the rich young man who ran up to Jesus, knelt down, and asked Him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). When Jesus told him to keep the Ten Commandments, the young man proudly announced that he had kept all of them from his youth.
As the story unfolds, Jesus astonishes not only the rich young man but also everyone else listening by showing how the Ten Commandments are central to the Law of Moses but the foundation for the higher call of grace He came to institute. The commandments preserve our relationship with God, but Jesus makes clear that they are only the beginning. They are a springboard to the fullness of grace and radical discipleship. This is evident in His response to this rich and morally upright young man: “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21).
At that, the young man went away sad. His sadness reveals a divided heart—he desired eternal life but was not immediately ready to let go of his attachment to material wealth. Jesus’ loving challenge was not a rejection of the man but an invitation to freedom, a freedom that could only come from placing God above all else.
Though we do not know what came of this young man, Jesus’ loving and challenging words were certainly an invitation to deeper conversion. We can hope that, over time, the grace of that encounter worked in his heart, leading him to embrace the wisdom of Jesus’ call.
Though not everyone is called to renounce all material possessions, Jesus calls each of us to examine our attachments. True discipleship requires a heart that is free to love God above all things. This call is not merely about being good or keeping the commandments; it is a radical invitation to holiness—a complete surrender to God’s will in every area of our life.
Once the young man went away sad, Jesus turned to the disciples and said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” This shocked them. In their cultural context, material wealth was often seen as a sign of God’s favor. Jesus’ teaching turns this assumption on its head, underscoring the danger of placing trust in riches instead of God. Aware of their astonishment, Jesus did not back down. Instead, He reinforced His point: “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
Calling His disciples “children” reflects both His tenderness and their need to trust Him with childlike dependence. His repeated teaching challenges their understanding of wealth and salvation while inviting them to a deeper reliance on God’s grace. Jesus’ words make it clear: Salvation is not a human achievement but a divine gift.
Reflect today on the invitation to radical holiness Jesus extends to you. His love for us is so deep, so absolute, that He always calls “good” people to greatness. He wants perfection from us—not because He needs our perfection, but because He knows how good it is for us. Ponder these words as if they were spoken to you: “You are lacking in one thing…” What is that “one thing” you still lack? What do you hold onto that keeps you from greater holiness? Do not go away sad; go away resolved to do anything and everything it takes to obtain true treasure in Heaven. Only then will your riches be eternal.
Lord of perfection, You call me to radical holiness because of Your infinite love for me. Help me to identify every earthly attachment that interferes with the love of holiness to which You are calling me. Give me the grace and courage to surrender my attachments and choose You above all else, so that I may discover the eternal treasures You have prepared for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
Forsaking All to Follow Christ
Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Peter began to say to Jesus, “We have given up everything and followed you.” Mark 10:28
Peter had just witnessed Jesus’ conversation with the rich young man, to whom Jesus said, “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21). After the young man went away sad because he had many possessions, Jesus turned to the disciples and lovingly explained the radical demands of the Gospel: “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:25). This statement was astonishing to the disciples, and Peter’s response reveals a common tendency for us all: He began to think about himself.
The Gospel can be embraced in two ways. First, with a more intellectual approach, we can study, understand, and explain Jesus’ teaching. This is important, especially for preachers and teachers. The second way is more challenging: We must hear the Gospel, believe it, and, with the help of grace, live it. When engaging the Gospel in this second way, we often do exactly what Peter did: We think about ourselves and whether or not we live up to it.
Both approaches are necessary. Understanding the Gospel intellectually is a crucial starting point. Too often, we water it down to an exhortation to be kind to others, say some daily prayers, go to church, and avoid serious sin. Those who intensely study the Word of God, however, will discover so much more. Jesus’ many teachings, when clearly understood, will challenge even the greatest saint to greater holiness. Even those who “have given up everything” to follow Jesus will be challenged as they are confronted with the depth of our Lord’s Word.
Once we understand the radical demands of the Gospel, we must do what Peter did: We must apply it to our particular situation. This introspection is good and necessary and is a sign that the Gospel is sinking in. Like Peter, we might at first justify ourselves, saying, “I have given up everything to follow You, Lord.” But we must then look deeper, more honestly at ourselves, and evaluate our lives in the clearest way possible.
Jesus’ response to Peter is the response He makes to us as we go through this self-evaluation, even if it tends to be more of a self-justification. Jesus gently explains that those who radically follow Him without reserve, giving up “everything” to follow Him, will receive two blessings.
First, they will receive “a hundred times more now in this present age.” This is not a promise of riches, material prosperity, good health, or freedom from suffering, which Jesus emphasizes by His follow-up statement: “with persecutions.” However, it does mean that the spiritual blessings we will receive in this life, if we radically give up everything to follow Him, are far greater than anything this life can offer and will flood our souls with peace and satisfaction, even in the midst of persecutions and every form of hardship.
Second, Jesus also promises “eternal life in the age to come.” This promise, though desirable, can at times feel abstract. It is sometimes difficult to get excited about the promise of eternal life while we are still immersed in the concerns of this life. Of course, we will not think that way once our life on earth is complete. On that day, the promise will become very real and remain so for eternity.
Reflect today on Jesus making these two promises to you. Do you believe that giving up “everything” and following Jesus will produce “a hundred times” more than what you give up? What attachments does our Lord ask you to relinquish? Believe what Jesus says. The life of holiness, as modeled by the saints, makes great demands upon us. If we believe this and live it, then the second promise will become our hope and eternal delight. This life is short. Turn your eyes to eternal life in the age to come, strive for that gift, and both promises will become a reality in your life.
Most generous Lord, the spiritual blessings You promise to those who give up everything to follow You far surpass anything this life can offer. Grant me the grace to understand this truth, believe it fully, and live it wholeheartedly. May I journey through this life with my eyes fixed on eternity, anticipating the great rewards You have prepared for those who follow You without reserve. Jesus, I trust in You.
The Love of Human Empathy
Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise.” Mark 10:33–34
How often do we fail to grasp the suffering of others, consumed instead by our own concerns? This was the struggle of the Twelve as Jesus prepared to endure His Passion. Today’s Gospel presents the third time Jesus clearly told them about His Passion and Death, yet they still didn’t get it.
After Jesus revealed His Passion for the first time, “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.” In the presence of the other disciples, Jesus responded, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (cf. Mark 8:31–33). The second time Jesus revealed His Passion they “did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.” Instead, they engaged in a childish conversation, “discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest” (cf. Mark 9:30–37).
Today’s Gospel, presenting the third time Jesus revealed His Passion, depicts a similar scenario. Jesus is very explicit: In Jerusalem, He “will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise.” Once again, despite the seriousness of Jesus’ revelation, James and John immediately ask Jesus, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left” (Mark 10:37). The Apostles were so consumed with their own ambitions that they failed to grasp the gravity of Jesus’ words and were unable to offer Him the charity of empathy.
Fortunately for them—and for us—Jesus had perfect patience. He understood their weaknesses and showed mercy. Humanly speaking, the disciples could have offered Him the charity of human empathy and compassion, walking more firmly with Jesus toward His agony and death, but they were unprepared and unable to do so.
While the Apostles failed to console Jesus, His mother consoled His Sacred Heart. With her Immaculate Heart in perfect union with His, the Blessed Mother modeled perfect empathy as she pondered her Son’s life in her heart and stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross. She walked with Jesus every step of the way. Her love consoled Him even as the Twelve failed to do so. The Blessed Mother teaches us how to accompany, with love and presence, those who suffer.
We must see ourselves in the Apostles, listening to Jesus share news of His Passion. As we consider their apathy and lack of understanding, we should seek the grace of a loving and empathetic heart by seeing our Lord present in those around us, especially family, who carry heavy burdens. This grace will enable us to be attentive to those burdens and better imitate our Blessed Mother who consoled the heart of her Son. Though the Apostles initially failed in this mission, they were learning and growing. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they would later console others by sharing Christ’s love and proclaiming His Passion with courage, especially as they lived it.
Reflect today on Jesus’ interaction with His Apostles. Learn from their shortcomings and be grateful for Jesus’ patience. Pray for the grace of an empathetic heart, for this virtue enables us to console the Heart of Christ by sharing in His Passion with attentiveness and compassion. In doing so, we imitate the perfect love of the Blessed Mother, who teaches us how to truly love.
My patient Lord, though You desire to fully share Your life and Passion with me, I often fail to be attentive and to see You in those around me. Grant me the grace to meet You in Your sufferings, and fill my heart with the charity of human empathy, especially for those I am called to love. May I learn from the weakness of the Apostles and the perfect love of Your Blessed Mother, imitating her unwavering love for You and for all. Jesus, I trust in You.
Undeterred in Faith and Prayer
Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Mark 10:46–48
Though the Torah commanded kindness and justice toward the blind, they were often treated poorly by the wider community. Unable to work or provide for themselves, the blind were typically reduced to begging. They also bore the stigma of being seen as suffering God’s judgment, whether for their own sins or the sins of their parents. While today’s story about Bartimaeus vividly illustrates the pitiful social and economic position of the blind at that time, it even more powerfully presents him as an ideal model to imitate.
First, we should humbly see ourselves in Bartimaeus. On a spiritual level, we are all blind and in need of God’s mercy. Like Bartimaeus, we must identify as people who are poor, ostracized, and incapable of seeing all that God wants to reveal to us. Pride gives us a false sense of who we are and blinds us to the truth of our spiritual poverty. Humility, on the other hand, opens the eyes of faith, enabling us to recognize our need for God’s mercy and His healing grace so that we may see and understand life as He wishes to reveal it.
Bartimaeus is not only a model of the humility we need; he is also a model of faith and prayer. In his humility, as soon as he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, he cried out in a twofold way. First, he called Jesus the “Son of David.” This was a profession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah. “Son of David” was a messianic title rooted in Nathan’s prophecy, in which God promised King David that his descendant would establish an everlasting kingdom (cf. 2 Samuel 7:12–16). By calling Jesus the “Son of David,” Bartimaeus professed his belief that Jesus was the fulfillment of that prophecy.
With his profession of faith, Bartimaeus also prayed the ideal prayer: “Have pity on me.” The word “pity” is a translation of the Greek eleison, which is also rendered as “have mercy.” For example, at Mass, we pray in Greek, “Kyrie eleison,” or “Lord, have mercy.” This prayer is ideal because every gift from God is an act of mercy. We do not earn or deserve His grace; it is a freely bestowed gift, and our prayer should reflect this profound truth.
As Bartimaeus prayed, many people told him to be silent. Despite their rebukes, Bartimaeus intensified his prayer, “calling out all the more.” This persistence serves as another model for the ideals of prayer. The “many” who rebuked him and tried to silence him symbolize the numerous obstacles we face in our pursuit of God’s mercy.
Though the greatest obstacles we face are our own sins, which discourage us from approaching God in prayer, we also encounter challenges in the form of temptations. These temptations, like the “many” who sought to silence Bartimaeus, try to lead us away from prayer. They urge us to give up, doubt God’s care for us, or remain complacent in our spiritual lives. Bartimaeus’ response—to pray even louder and more fervently—teaches us the importance of perseverance in prayer, even in the face of discouragement or opposition.
Reflect today on this poor blind man, Bartimaeus, sitting on the roadside. With him, profess your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and cry out for mercy. When sin hinders you, have the courage to admit it, confess it, and plead for forgiveness. When temptations try to silence you, resist them and cry out all the louder. In the end, Jesus called Bartimaeus to Himself and healed him. Jesus desires to do the same for us. He will, if we humbly identify with Bartimaeus, see ourselves in his condition, and imitate his unwavering faith and persistent prayer.
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! With Bartimaeus, I profess my belief in You as the Messiah, the Savior of the world. With him, I also plead for Your mercy in my life and in the world around me. You alone are the source of all grace and mercy, and though I am unworthy, You freely bestow it upon the humble. Lord, I want to see. Open the eyes of my heart and grant me the reward of Your mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.
Barren Spirituality or Fruitfulness
Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Early in the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots. Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” Mark 11:20–21
The prophets often used the image of a barren fig tree to symbolize Israel’s fruitless spirituality (cf. Hosea 9:10; Jeremiah 8:13). Though they were God’s chosen people, with whom God established His Covenant, time and moral decay led to a fruitless spirituality. Despite their outward observance of the Law, their hearts were far from God.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus was hungry as He left Bethany and journeyed toward Jerusalem. Along the way, He saw a fig tree from a distance with leaves, so He went to it to pick a fig to eat, but He found none. He immediately said to the tree, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!” (Mark 11:14). This was a prophetic action. The green tree symbolized the outward appearance of the people of Israel and especially the religious leaders, who appeared righteous but bore no fruit of genuine faith, repentance, or divinely inspired charity.
After arriving at the Temple in Jerusalem, Jesus drove out those buying and selling, overturning the tables of the moneychangers who were desecrating the sacredness of the Temple. As He did so, He recalled the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah: “Is it not written: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples’? But you have made it a den of thieves” (Mark 11:17; cf. Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11). Just as the barren fig tree symbolized fruitless spirituality, the cleansing of the temple revealed the corruption of worship that failed to honor God. Both acts were prophetic judgments against the emptiness of external religiosity, warning that God desires not outward appearances but true worship and spiritual fruitfulness from the heart.
The next morning, on their way back to Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples passed by the fig tree Jesus had cursed. To their amazement, it had “withered to its roots.” This sign of judgment sparked a conversation between Jesus and His disciples in which He taught them about the connection between faith, prayer, and forgiveness: “Have faith in God…I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours…When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance…” (Mark 11:22; 24–25). Faith in God, combined with humble prayer and forgiveness, is the key to spiritual fruitfulness.
Jesus’ prophetic action and teaching on prayer and forgiveness ring as true for us today as they did for the people of Israel. Like a green fig tree that bears no fruit, we can fall into the trap of being more concerned about our outward appearance of religiosity than about true prayer and worship that is fruitful for the Kingdom of God.
We are the temples Jesus wants to cleanse today. Just as Jesus cast out corruption from the temple, so must we allow Him to cast out the sin and spiritual barriers within us that hinder true worship. Forgiveness is an essential part of this cleansing, as it removes the obstacles that block our prayers and relationships with God. True prayer flows from faith that trusts completely in God’s power and from hearts that forgive without reservation. When our focus shifts from self-interest to the love of God and service of others, our lives become fruitful for the Kingdom.
Reflect today on your soul as the new temple Jesus wants to cleanse. There is incredible potential for each one of us to bear an abundance of good fruit for His Kingdom. Begin by forgiving everyone from your heart. Then, approach prayer with faith that trusts God’s providence and seeks His will. Let your worship be sincere—not for appearances or routine, but out of love for God and a desire for His Kingdom to grow. Fidelity to prayer and forgiveness will transform your life into one of fruitfulness and grace, leading you to the abundant life of His Kingdom.
My Lord, the source of all abundant good fruit, You desire to cleanse my soul of every sin and obstacle that hinders true worship. You call me to a life of deep prayer, grounded in faith and forgiveness. Purify me, and use me to bear an abundance of good fruit for Your Kingdom. Make me a pure and holy child of true worship. Jesus, I trust in You.
Facing Hostility and Evil
Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple area, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him and said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?” Mark 11:27–28
Jesus and His disciples were in Jerusalem for Passover, which would culminate in His death. In the preceding months, Jesus prepared His disciples for this final journey, telling them three times that He would be handed over in Jerusalem, suffer, die, and rise again. Each time, the disciples failed to grasp the full meaning of His words.
The week began with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The next day, Jesus drove the money changers, merchants, and others out of the Temple. As the week progressed, hostilities grew. Today, Jesus is confronted by the chief priests, scribes, and elders. Later in the week, He will face opposition from the Herodians, Pharisees, and Sadducees. Each of these groups held significant civil and religious authority within the Jewish community.
The chief priests oversaw Temple worship. The scribes were experts in Jewish Law. The elders were respected lay leaders within the community. The Herodians were politically motivated supporters of Herod and Roman rule. The Pharisees focused on strict observance of the Law and oral traditions. The Sadducees denied beliefs, such as the resurrection and angels, and cooperated with Roman authorities to protect their positions.
While Roman authorities governed Jerusalem civilly, the religious leaders held significant influence over the Temple and the enforcement of Jewish laws, matters that were of little concern to the Romans. The religious leaders could arrest people, but they lacked the authority to execute anyone—an authority they ultimately sought to use against Jesus. Tragically, they became icons of hostility and evil as they persecuted the Son of God.
In today’s Gospel, the chief priests, scribes, and elders confronted Jesus: “By what authority are You doing these things?” This challenge was likely in response to Jesus’ actions the previous day when He cleansed the Temple. The tension and hostility were palpable. The disciples were fearful, and those observing took sides—some angry at Jesus, others concerned for what might happen to Him.
Jesus’ disposition and response to these icons of hostility and evil offer insight into how we must confront every diabolical attack and temptation in our own lives. Jesus was calm, firm, and fearless. He revealed their dishonesty, trickery, and evil intent when He said to them, “I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or human origin? Answer me.”
The religious leaders didn’t know what to say. Any answer they gave would have revealed their malice and dishonesty, so they said, “We do not know.” Jesus responded, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things” (Mark 11:33). Jesus was not intimidated and exposed their dishonesty.
Evil is always irrational and hostile. When we encounter the wrath of others or witness it from a distance, we often find ourselves thinking, “This doesn’t make sense!” And indeed, it doesn’t. Jesus unmasked this irrationality and refused to be oppressed by it. Though it led to further persecution, He faced it without fear. His witness serves as the ideal model for us whenever we encounter irrational anger, persecution, or hostility.
Reflect today on any hostility you might encounter. If it seems senseless and leaves you feeling oppressed or fearful, turn to Jesus as your guide. Hostile irrationality can arise from many sources, even those close to us. We must resist the temptation to return hostility with hostility, but neither should we give in to fear. Our response must be rational, calm, and firm, just as Jesus demonstrated. Our Lord’s witness should not only result in our admiration and praise, but also in our imitation, relying on His grace to confront evil as He did.
Most courageous Lord, You never allowed the anger and deception of others to oppress You or fill You with fear. You faced every evil with confidence and wisdom, unmasking its irrationality. Grant me Your courage and wisdom as I confront the evils in my life, so that I may live with confidence and security in Your grace. Jesus, I trust in You.
All 4 volumes are available in paperback & eBook format!
Amazon – Google Play – iTunes – Barnes and Noble – and more!
