Jesus tells us that sins against him will be forgiven, but not blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit unites in love, and to sin against it would be to divide with hate.
In this Halloween season, when we see scary masks, we are reminded by Jesus that we should not fear the dead, but instead should fear wearing masks ourselves—that is, being hypocrites.
Jesus gave the twelve the ability to cure all diseases. This continues to be the work of the church, a great saints like Vincent de Paul understood that to heal someone we need to deal with everything that tears away at human flourishing.
In the parable of the vineyard, Jesus raises an important question: do we begrudge God's generosity to others? Do we think that God should love us more than others, or that we deserve more?
Jesus tells us that we should forgive others 70 times 7 times, which signifies infinity. Thus, we should join with others to create a society of mercy and forgiveness.
Commenting on the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, Fr. Yamil Samalot Rivera, OP asks us to think about what we would be willing to give up everything else for to build a life based on love?
Martha, Mary, and Lazarus became such close friends of Jesus that their home was a refuge for him and set a context for one of his greatest miracles, the raising of Lazarus. Pointing to this reality, Fr. Yamil Samalot Rivera, OP encourages us to try to create such a close friendship with Jesus so that we might be able to be witnesses to the resurrection to a society that is so easily marred by death.
Jesus sent the apostles out "heal every illness". Fr. Yamil Samalot Rivera, OP reminds us that we too are sent, like them, to heal every illness, not only individual sicknesses but social ills as well.
In today's Gospel, we see Jesus caring for those who are suffering, because they are like sheep without a shepherd. Fr. Yamil Samalot Rivera, OP points out that Jesus wants to do something new to help them, and asks us if we are open to God working in new ways to heal the brokenhearted today?
Jesus said that he came to abolish, but to fulfil the law. Fr. Yamil Samalot Rivera, OP teases apart that Jesus was not being a legalist, but getting to the heart of the law, which, as St. Augustine said, is "Love God and then do what you want."
As did Jesus, Fr. Yamil Samalot Rivera, OP asks us to be salt for the earth so that we can be of service to society and people might be enlightened through our good deeds.
