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In the readings, the world seems turned upside down as St. Paul rejoices in suffering and the scribes and the Pharisees are enraged at goodness. But St. Paul is really rejoicing in how his suffering reveals God's mercy to the gentiles, and the Pharisees simply refuse to embrace God's mercy.

The prophet Ezekiel tells the son on man that he has an obligation to warn sinners of the error of their way. We have an obligation to share our knowledge of God with the spiritually poor as surely as we need to share our wealth with the financially poor.

Jesus tells us to "Be Perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP tells us this is not some impossible perfection, but to be like the sun "which rises on the bad and the good." We are to let our love and mercy shine on everyone we meet.

Fr. Dominican Holtz, OP tells us that when Jesus tells us to "turn the other cheek," he is not asking us to be doormats, but to recognise our infinite worth in his eyes, and how nothing can diminish that.

Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP reminds us that none of us really know what our life is worth or what it ultimately means, because our story is never finished. It keeps going even after we die.

Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP reminds us that Jesus shared everything that he knew of the Father with us in order to deepen our friendship with God, because, friendship deepens the more we know about the other.

Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP reminds us that to embrace new life in Christ requires that something inside of us must die, such as the poisonous malice living in our hearts.

Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP speaks about the joy of being able to join in the work of God, helping to bring people to faith.

In today's Gospel, Jesus tells the people of his day who claim to have God as their Father, that if that were true, they would be living as God would have them live. Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP asks us to apply this same lesson in our own lives.

Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP, recalling the lifting up of the bronze serpent in the desert to heal the people bitten by serpents, is not a cruel joke of God. Rather, it teaches us that our sins are not to be overlooked but redeemed, because even our worst rebellion, when joined with God's mercy, can be a source of salvation.

Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP asks us to consider if we will embrace the Tower or the Cross? The Tower of Babel symbolizes safety and security, building our own glorious future. The Cross of Christ entails pain and suffering. But the things most worth having—solidarity, friendship, and love—cannot be had without opening ourselves up to others, which means inviting into our own lives their suffering and sorrow.

Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP, unpacking the story of Noah and the Arc, reminds us that our actions have real consequences in the world, but that God also made a covenant with Noah to always help to bring new life out of the destruction our sins have wrought.