Saint Augustine would tell us that it all begins with the desire, yearning, longing for God. This desire is deep within every human being. Indeed, it is what makes us human. Ultimately, our desire for these gifts or qualities are expressions of our deepest desire, the desire for God.

As we prepare to receive the Eucharist, we are called to do so with sincere humility allowing what we receive to remind us of what we become – the Body of Christ. We listen to his words of encouragement and then through the eyes of faith recognize him in the breaking of the bread.

The Eucharist, the Real Presence of Christ, fortifies and strengthens us to keep moving forward, pointing us towards the necessary corrections we need to make in our lives when we have taken a wrong turn, when we sin. Scripture functions as the most reliable guidebook for us in keeping our commitment to dying to Christ over self.

In the Old Testament, a prophet (in Hebrew, nabi, which suggests “madman”), is one who speaks for another and challenges the community in its unfaithfulness. Called to challenge the community to faithfulness when it has strayed from God’s commands is not a popular message. So the desire to silence the prophet, one way or another, is clear. But the prophet must be faithful to the call no matter what, even if it brings rejection and suffering.

If there is any fear connected with the coming of the Son of Man it will be so for those who have lost sight of the Jesus of the Gospels who welcomed the little children, forgave the adulterous woman and healed the lame and the blind and the deaf. If, however, we have worked to develop a relationship with Jesus during our pilgrimage on earth, we will, indeed, be prepared for his coming again, which will remove all fear forever.

"How much is enough? By the world’s standards there are never enough material items. For the man in the Gospel today we can see that there was never enough in material wealth. As Qoheleth says in the first reading it is all Vanity. To think we can find happiness in material things alone and in our ability to accumulate is pure vanity. What he was missing was the only thing that can fill us up: the presence of God."

No one can blame Martha for what she chose, yet what Mary chose is different, is better. Martha bore the burden of service that day. What Martha chose is good, yet what Mary chose is better. Again, Augustine: “While what Martha does keeps one busy out of need, what Mary does keeps one sweet out of love.”

There’s always the temptation to bring others to our world and our way of thinking, but the parable challenges us in a deeper way to cross the road and draw near to the lives of others, including those outside our circle. In so doing we build a new world of oneness and love.

Part of our definition as Christians is to be evangelizers: to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and the salvation he has won for us. The first question that comes to my mind is: How am I supposed to do this?

Our challenge is to make Jesus of Nazareth’s lifestyle our own, to be identified more fully with Jesus and have others know and love him through us. Our commitment is to reach out and willingly assume the cause of the outcasts, the downtrodden, the excluded, and make it our own.

We use the analogy of blood to describe devotion, dedication and sacrifice. It is evident in our very vocabulary – to speak of our “sweat and blood” is to say we give our very life, our very essence, to something. In the Eucharist God gives God’s Divine Self to us.