Fr. Brian Walker, OP

Jesus told his disciples that he came to bring not peace, but division. Jesus was seeking change, and that change would be opposed, bringing about divisions. In our world, we certainly still have the divisions, as any reference to politics will show, but do we want to heal them? Do we want to make a better world, or are we fighting just to fight?

Jesus told his disciples "if the owner of the house had known.. he would have been prepared.." But we all know what is best for us, and yet we are never prepared for all the twists and turns that life throws. May God give us the patience to adjust to the twists and turns of life.

Fr. Brian Walker, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, reminding us of the importance of interpreting scripture correctly. When Jesus says "if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out", he does not mean that literally. Better for us to get our eye and our tongue under control and to teach them not to lead us on a path to sin.

Readings: Numbers 11:25–29; James 5:1–6; Mark 9:38–43, 45, 47–48

On this Feast of St. Matthew, we are called to look at how his life went in such a different direction because Jesus called him to follow. God has surprise blessings for all of us, and we cannot know how our life will unfold. But we can look at it and be amazed and say "Thank you."

Paul encouraged the Corinthians to believe in the resurrection of the dead. We cannot prove this to anyone, but we believe in it, and we can feel that it is true in our heart. This is the way of faith, and it gives us hope.

When Jesus was prejudged by Nathaniel, Philip challenged him to "come and see." Do we prejudge others, or are we open to seeing others for what they are and thinking for ourselves?