Matthew 20:1-16Dear Friends, Each Sunday, in the readings of the Mass, we encounter the values of Jesus. We are told that the last shall be first, the leader is to be the servant of all, and we need to be the one who washes our neighbors’ feet. The response to violence is not revenge but to...

Mt 18:21-35 The Forgiving Community Forgiveness is at the heart of the kingdom that Jesus proclaimed and lived. At the very beginning, he said, “Repent, the kingdom is at hand” (Mt 4:17)! Those who accept the invitation into the kingdom need to understand its demands. God’s intervention is unleashing an overwhelming explosion of divine mercy and forgiveness. This calls all to both absorb and share the lifegiving current of the new reality that Jesus is setting free. This great blessing of mercy is a healing power that must be shared. Forgiveness is to be e...

Social Dimension of Self-Knowledge Our self-knowledge is deeply influenced by social factors. We have inherited a deeply rooted alienation that is the product of original sin. This disruptive force is nurtured by social, economic and cultural factors. These influences play a big part in creating a false consciousness for all of us. This, in turn, creates a worldview where we are strongly inclined to see things for our own benefit. We seldom look on the world free form the pull of our self-interest. From these most fundamental desires flow the division, the isolation, the conflict and ha...

Matthew 18:15-21 Dear Friends, Today’s message of forgiveness and reconciliation is part of a special section (Mt 18:1-35) on the church as a community. The membership of the Christian community is made up of flawed human beings. There is a great need to heal the ever-present differences and conflicts that arise. Jesus presents a program of deep insight and wisdom.When the conflict happens, Jesus asks us to approach it with humility and a heart open to radical forgiveness. Recall the advice from the Sermon on the Mount (Mt.5-7). There are all kinds of teachings abou...

Teresa’s Constant Plea: Self-knowledge and HumilityTeresa opens The Interior Castle with a description of the beauty and wonder of the human person. The basis of this great marvel is the presence of God. The human person is not only made in the image of God. This loving God is present at the d...