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Jesus says, "I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved," and he lets in a lot of people who are not like us. Are there people that we would not let in?

God gave the prophet Isaiah "a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them." We need more of this gift today.

The prophet Isaiah tried and thought he failed, but then was promised that by God's hand he would become a light to the nations. God can use each of us in this task, not because of our greatness, but because of God's.

In the first reading we hear the Ten Commandments. The 5th Commandment is Thou Shall Not Kill. We need to re-embrace this commandment today.

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:1-3,11-32) we learn of the absolute certainty of God's mercy for us. If you are in doubt, read this parable again.

Fr. James Marchionda, OP breaks open the readings for the first Sunday of Lent where we hear of Jesus's temptation in the desert, where he was tempted to give up up on God. That is the basic temptation, and Jesus refused to let go of God. Can we hold on to our own faith as well, whatever hardships and challenges come our way?

When Jesus's disciples were criticized for not following the Mosaic law, he challenged people to seek God with their hearts rather than through the law. Seeking God with our whole hearts will lead us to a much deeper faith than following any prescription of the law.

People came to Jesus and were healed by simply touching the tassel of his cloak. This need is still with us today, so may we be channels of Jesus' healing for all we encounter.

Jesus regularly ate with tax collectors and sinners to bring them forgiveness. Can we see ourselves as sinners, equally in need of this forgiveness, so that we might dine with him?

When a man was lowered through the roof to be healed by Jesus, he did not interrogate the paralytic to see if he was worthy of a healing—he healed him. May we also be moved by compassion rather than judgement.

Fr. Jim Marchionda, OP brings out the radical nature of the story of the magi coming from the East and finding the baby Jesus, foreigners in a foreign land, foreshadowing the gentiles being accepted into the faith as equals to the Jews, so that we can all become lights to the nations, welcoming everyone into the grace of God.

As we approach Christmas, the Gospel today reminds us of Jesus' death, underscoring that his birth is connected to his death in the great circle of God's plan. May we see arc of our own lives, birth to death, circumscribed into this story as well.