This Sunday we hear that God listens to those who come to Him with sincere hearts and that He cares for the poor, the weak and those who depend on Him. Being proud and self-righteousness does not bring us closer to God, but a humble heart will sure do the trick. We have been hearing these past few weeks that we need to stay faithful even in hard times and this week’s readings stay with that same message. God knows that we need to hear something several times before we truly believe it. We are reminded that God sees the heart, and He listens to those who are humble and who cry out for justice. He does not turn away from the poor or the weak but instead, He cares for those who trust Him.

This Sunday is about prayer, faith, and trust in God. We are called to keep praying, even when life is difficult or when answers take time. God listens and cares for His people and we need to have Faith and trust that God will act at the right time, even when we do not understand why it sometimes take a while for his answer. We should ask our friends to pray for us and with us because we gain strength from others through encouragement. By reading Scripture and praying we gain wisdom and strength for daily life. Staying close to God, praying with patience, and relying on our faith community help us remain strong and hopeful. The readings this Sunday all share the same message and that is God is faithful, and we can depend on Him because God does not leave us alone.

This week we reflect on faith, healing, gratitude, and God’s mercy. God’s love reaches everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from. Faith means trusting Him even when life is difficult or confusing. His mercy is freely given, and He cares for all who turn to Him. This Sunday we are reminded to give thanks. Many people receive blessings but forget to thank God. Gratitude is a sign of true faith because it recognizes that every good gift comes from God. Living with faith and gratitude helps us notice God’s care in our lives and draws us closer to Him. Do you really notice how God has blessed you? Not with material things but through healing, mercy, and the gift of faith. People wake up, go to work, eat meals, and live their lives without thinking about where these gifts come from. It is easy to take blessings for granted. Our faith grows stronger when we trust God and give Him praise.

This week we are reminded about the importance of faith in everyday actions and the power of even the smallest acts of service. We are encouraged to recognize the gift of human life as a sign of hope and to defend life in all stages and circumstances and to understand that nothing can separate us from God’s love no matter what we might do. It is not enough to be a part of a parish family because for our faith to be alive we must share it with others through service. We should see the image of God in our neighbor no matter who they might be. We are encouraged to help those who refuse God’s love even during their difficult times. Phoenix, our state capital, should be a reminder to us. The phoenix is a mythical bird that, when newly hatched from the ashes, has little tender feathers and it can only leap rather than fly.

This week we need to look at how we treat others. The readings warn against selfishness and ignoring those in need. God asks us to live with kindness and care, not to turn away from the poor or weak. Our faith is shown in how we act towards others. We are warned against being self-satisfied while others suffer, We hear about those who live in comfort while others do not. God wants justice for all people not just some of the people. God lifts the lowly and cares for the hungry, the sick, and the forgotten and if we love God and want to follow Him, we should be helping others, not just caring for ourselves.

The readings this Sunday focuses on living with honesty and faithfulness. It calls us to put God above money and what we do have to use to serve others. Wealth and possessions are not bad, but they should never control us. God wants be asking for peace and guidance in the world.

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a sign of the love and victory of Jesus. Jesus made a sacrifice to save us from our sins. We should look at the Cross not as a symbol of suffering and death, but a sign of hope and new life because of His resurrection. God can bring good even from pain. By the Cross we can face our own struggles with courage and offer them to God just as His Son did. We need to learn to accept hardships with love and hope as we place our trust in Christ and believe that His victory over death can guide us through our trials. Today’s Feast has been celebrated by the Church for centuries and is a symbol of our faith. We celebrate this feast on September 14 because on this day in the year 335, the Church in Jerusalem dedicated a new church built on the site where Jesus died and rose from the dead and the church was built to honor both His crucifixion and His resurrection.

Did you really pay attention to the readings today? Jesus who usually tells us about love, such as the love of God, the love of family and the love of neighbor is now telling us to hate. To hate our father and mother, our brother and sisters and even our own selves. We must be careful of how we interpret what Jesus is saying. We need to know that this was ment to be understood in a symbolic manner. We must really love God more than we love others or ourselves.

He must be at the center of our lives. Following Jesus requires sacrifice and we must be willing to put Him above all else, even when it is difficult, even before family or friends. We need to be prepared for whatever happens in life. Faith is like that too. Faith takes real commitment with trust and strength. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us because we can’t know God’s ways on our own.

This week we receive a strong message about humility. Jesus reminds us not to seek praise or high places. Instead, he shows us that real honor comes when we let go of pride. Those who lift themselves up will be brought down, but those who stay low will be raised up by God. We are told to be gentle and humble and that we are part of something bigger than we can see. Jesus tells us that when we welcome the poor, the sick, and the outcast, we welcome blessings that will last forever. This is a good time to check our hearts.

This weekend we focus on humility and how God gathers people from all corners of the earth. God has love for everyone, it is not for just one group of people, He wants all people to come to Him. Following God is not always easy. We are encouraged to reflect on God’s invitation to enter His kingdom and the attitudes we should cultivate to be part of His family. To enter into heaven it will take effort, trust and a loving heart to get through the narrow gate and not everyone will succeed. We are reminded that discipline is love.

Just like a parent teaches a child the right and wrong things to do, God also teaches us. Not to punish us but to help us grow stronger. This week we are invited to walk with God even during hard times. In the Gospel we are warned that some who are last will be first and some first will be last. This teaches us not to be content or assume our place is secure without genuine faith and love. Through prayer, Scripture, the sacraments, and acts of love we learn practical ways to deepen our personal relationship with Jesus.

The readings this week are not easy to hear. Jesus says He did not come to bring peace, but fire. He warns that even families will be divided because of Him. His words are bold and direct. This may be hard to accept, but it is true. Poor Jeremiah gets thrown into a reservoir, because he was speaking the truth, but people wanted him to be gone. When he was in the mud did he stop trusting in God? No and God sent someone to help him. We are reminded to keep going, to stay strong just like Jesus did when he faced being nailed to the cross. Jesus did not give up and neither should we. We hear that we need to be honest and ready to follow Jesus even when we are facing trouble. We need to stand with Jesus even when others turn away.

The readings this weekend reminds us to live with trust to stay ready and that God keeps His promises. We are part of His plan, just like the people in the Bible. We are told that we must be ready at all times because He may come when we do not expect it. Faith is not just about believing. It is also about how we live each day. Abraham trusted God’s promises even when he could not see how they would come true and he believed in what God said, even when it seemed impossible. Faith often requires action, even when the future is unclear.

God expects people to use their gifts wisely and not waste what they have been given. We need to avoid spiritual laziness and take small steps to grow closer to God. Distractions can pull us away from our faith, so we need to learn ways to stay strong. We can do this by staying focused on God and build habits that keep our faith strong.

This Sunday we are reminded to stop and think about what really matters. It is easy to focus on money, success, and things we own. But these do not last, there is something greater. This week we hear that working hard just to gain wealth is empty. Life is short. We cannot take anything with us.

We need to ask God to help us use our time well because each day is a gift. In the Gospel, Jesus tells a story about a man who saves up his riches. The man is proud of all he owns but God calls him a fool. That night, like most people, the man is not ready for his life to end because he is not ready for death. Jesus teaches us to be rich in what matters to God. We need to look up, not down and we need to focus on heaven.