"Who “brought you out of the land of Egypt”: The reading from the Book of Exodus uses this phrase three times, and each differently. First God reminds Moses he is the leader of the people, and it’s his job to tell them about God’s wrath.

Do you have what it takes to be a disciple? Don’t panic: You don’t have to “hate” your family. Though Jesus’ words sound as strong then as they do now, see them in terms of the rest of what he says in the gospel passage, the big message of which is: Measure your resources before starting on something, like a king contemplating giving battle or a builder sizing up whether he can afford to complete a structure.

From the talking heads of news programs to the endless strings of mindless “comments” online, the quality of conversation in our numerous forms of media seems to have hit a new low. The point these days is not to reach a common understanding but to sway others to your opinion—no matter how underinformed and superficial it may be—or at least knock down the opinion of another.

God treats you as sons,” the Letter to the Hebrews says: in contemporary language, “children of God.” That’s a big challenge. It doesn’t mean being small or dependent. Rather, it involves becoming like the Son of God, accepting the responsibility of enduring “your trials” as he did his.

At Masses around the world every day, millions of people, in the words of the gospel, “eat and drink” with the Lord—would Jesus disown any of them, the way the master does in the gospel story? Maybe more than most folks would assume.

The Letter to the Hebrews offers one of the most eloquent definitions of faith in scripture: “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.”

The Hebrew word the reading from Ecclesiastes uses for vanity literally means “breath” or “vapor”: something fleeting and lacking substance. If everything eventually disappears into thin air, then, what is the value—if any—of what you do with your life?

God is not a vending machine of favors granted. Jesus’ words refer not so much to what you pray for but the confidence and persistence with which you pray. With that spirit of prayer, anything is possible.

If three mysterious strangers appeared at your door, would you, as Abraham did, beg them to stay—let alone even let them in? Would you frantically take care of them and get a huge meal ready? Maybe you would if you had a feeling they were something more than they seemed.

Nearing the end of his incredible life, Moses was passing out some big-time wisdom. You might expect him to say, “Follow the commandments!” and leave it at that. He had, though, some other, and surprising, things to say.