Rev. Daniel E. Pilarczyk

In today’s Gospel passage Jesus implies that both government and religion have claims on us. We owe both.

We Catholics ask Mary to pray for us now and at the hour of our death. She is always there for us just as she was there for Elizabeth.

If John the Baptist got his authority from God, so does Jesus. If the Baptist’s authority wasn’t from God, then neither is Jesus’. What kind of authority does Jesus have in my life?

When Jesus calls for fruitfulness, he expects to find results. If the Lord looked for fruitfulness from us today, what would he find?

The narrative of the blind Bartimaeus is really a lesson about how we are to approach Jesus. It’s a lesson about prayer.

Jesus came to give his life for the salvation of the world. He wanted his followers to be ready. That’s what’s important to grasp.

The rewards of discipleship are beyond calculation. “No matter how much you have given up,” Jesus says, “you’ll get infinitely more in return.”