Putting Jesus first – yes, even above family – keeps everything in the right order and fills our lives with God's love and wisdom. This actually strengthens the love of spouses, families, and all of our relationships! Making Christ the top priority brings lasting peace and joy — but to do this, we must be deliberate about our priorities. May we all have the grace to rightly order our lives, let go of those possessions that posses us, and put Christ first.

Readings at this Mass: Wis 9:13–18b | Phlm 9–10, 12–17 | Lk 14:25–33

When we de-center ourselves and re-center God, that’s when life becomes exciting and unpredictable and full of purpose — because God is exciting and unpredictable and purposeful. It’s liberating when we discover this! And it is a reminder that, at the end of the day, when our time comes, the most important thing that can be said about us is, “Here was a child of God, who was loved by God.”

Readings at this Mass: Sir 3:17–18, 20, 28–29 | Heb 12:18–19, 22–24a | Lk 14:1, 7–14

Jesus’ response to our complaints, our preoccupation with everyone and everything else, is 'What about you?'. Don’t worry about them. You strive to enter through the narrow gate. You come and follow me. You be my disciple. The essence of being a Catholic Christian is transformation: bringing that relationship with Christ into everything else I do. If I’m only focused on the things I do or everyone else around me, I miss the most important thing: the relationship Christ is inviting me into.

Readings at this Mass: Is 66:18–21 | Heb 12:5–7, 11–13 | Lk 13:22–30