In the gospel Jesus found himself in the kind of conflict that would eventually accelerate into his Passion.

Like most parents, mine had familiar parting words whenever we said good-bye. It didn’t matter if I were heading off to a sleepover at a friend’s house or going off to college or moving away that final time, the parting words were the same: “Be good.”

Which is more important: faith or acting on your faith? The readings this week come at this question from both sides.

Let us ask for God’s mercy and pray to God to make us better disciples.

Be doers of the word and not hearers only. On the Sundays of Ordinary Time this month the church reads from the Letter of James.

Thinking badly of others affects our capacity to love them—and love is the aim of the Christian life.

The value of his good works is not based on their number and excellence but on the love of God which prompts . . . to do these things. —Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591)