What have I done to alienate myself from God and others, and what have I failed to do? Take a moment to ponder these questions. Then ask yourself, What good have I done out of love for God and neighbor, and what temptations have I avoided?

Though many, if not most, people might walk into church this weekend not knowing the church is celebrating the end of another liturgical year, the fact is that the church year simply mirrors the seasons and cycles of what goes on in all our interior lives. Endings, with their cataclysmic overtones, bring everything into sharper focus.

FOR 70 YEARS the National Bible Association has designated the week of Thanksgiving from Sunday to Sunday as “National Bible Week.” A movement started among secular business leaders in New York City during World War II, their signature event is this simple allotment of a week of encouraging scripture reading.

THE READING from Matthew 25 in this weekend's gospel contains what could be a mission statement for Christianity: "Whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me." It has everything you need to know to be Christian: belief in Jesus, seeing his presence in the most vulnerable and in need, and responding to them (and therefore him).

Out of Howard Hawks' epic Western Red River comes one of the great lines of filmdom, spoken by Walter Brennan to John Wayne: "You was wrong, Mr. Dunson." As you can imagine, the Duke's character, Mr. Dunson, isn't used to anyone telling him he's wrong.

I can't remember when I learned how to play chess. I wonder if children today are learning the game. To them, with PlayStations in hand, chess must seem incredibly quaint, old-fashioned, and slow.

The Lord rescues us, gives us rest, and heals us.

But the sleek and the strong I will destroy. After hearing from Ezekiel a list of the nurturing things God does as a shepherd--rescue, gather, give rest, heal, guide, refresh, nourish--it is a bit jarring to hear about destruction.

Jesus shares the life of the poor, from the cradle to the cross; he experiences hunger, thirst, and privation. Jesus identifies himself with the poor of every kind and makes active love toward them the condition for entering the kingdom. --Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 544)