“If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead”. These words from our Gospel reading, are a strong foretelling of the problems that we continue to face with rebelling against our Lords commands. We remain a rather stiff-necked people who would often rather do things our own way, than adhere to God’s teachings, even when they come from His Son who rose from the dead.

Our Lord continually has warned us of the dangers of pursuing our own pleasures to the exclusion of noticing or caring for the needs of others. In our first reading today from the book of Amos, there is a strong rebuke against those who spend their lives accumulating and enjoying their own comforts and leave nothing for those in need. They lie upon beds of ivory and soft couches and eat and drink with no concern for those who are without shelter and are hungry. They do not care that their brothers and sisters are going without due to their own excesses, and the Lord sees this and makes them the first to suffer exile, and all their comforts, even their basic needs, are done away with, just like those they did not care for.

In our Gospel today, the account of the neglect on the part of the rich man toward Lazarus echoes the same plight, there is more than enough of the things needed for life, and yet the rich man is uncaring, and does not share these things with Lazarus. It does not say that he specifically seeks to keep Lazarus from having these things, only that he does not care enough to address his needs, even though he is right there on his doorstep. His sin is one of omission and inaction and it leads to his condemnation and eternal existence separated from God and His children – hell. He cannot be comforted by any who are with God because they are separated by the choices they made, both in life and in the afterlife. The rich man’s final request, that someone return from the dead to warn his brothers and convince them to listen, takes us back to our original statement – if they will not heed the words of God through His prophets and His word in the bible, neither will they listen to one who has risen from the dead. Our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and yet even with that, there are many who will choose to ignore Him.

We as Gods people are called to pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, gentleness, and generosity. We are called to be aware not just of our own needs, but of those around us. This call is what defines our belief in Jesus Christ, and our faith in Gods words and commands. It means that our lives by definition are not just our own but are to be filled with caring for those around us who are all created in His image. Those who are lonely, who need any of the material necessities, those who cannot help themselves due to any number of reasons, are the ones we are called to look intently upon and see the face of our Lord Jesus Christ in each and every one of them. No one sets out to be homeless, or impoverished, or in need, and yet so many find themselves in this situation. It can happen to anyone, those to whom it does happen are no less human beings with the same right to dignity as any of the rest of us. They have the same goals, the same hopes, the same desires, and they hurt the same way we would hurt if we were in that situation. If we see a need, we are called to not conveniently look the other way, but to try to help in any way we can. This is Gods call and challenge to each of us, it is why He sent His Son to us in human form, and it is why Jesus spent so much of His time with the poor and the neglected. If we truly follow him, not just claiming to be followers, then we too are called to draw near to those in need, and never, never ignore them for our convenience.

In our first reading from the Amos, we hear of some merchants who are priming themselves to cheat, just as soon as the Sabbath ends. I suppose it’s nice that they were willing to wait for the Sabbath to be over before starting their cheating of pretty much everyone they did business with, but perhaps the real question we should be asking ourselves is – why did they bother to wait? Now, I will concede that there is a practical reason for their waiting – the Jewish authorities would have taken a dim view of their activities and likely had them imprisoned, but I think there is also a deeper reason. I think that at some level, they saw this as a way to continue to function in their crooked capacity, but while still calling themselves faithful Jews. It was a thin veneer of propriety, but one that they could take some comfort in nonetheless, and I doubt that they were the only ones thinking in this way.  

In some ways, I don’t think things have changed that much. In many ways I think that we today find ways to justify ourselves by mentally separating our faith life from our secular lives, and how we conduct ourselves in anything ranging from our work to our interactions with others on a personal level. The thing is, can we really separate our faith from other parts of our lives. The answer is no, plain and simple. If we truly believe in Christs message, and in the pursuit of the salvation of our souls, then logic will tell us that our faith and our spiritual lives come before all else and supersede all else in terms of importance. There is truly no way to separate Christs message from any other aspect of our lives, it must by definition, permeate all we are if we are to be able to say we believe.  

In our Gospel today, we hear the parable of the dishonest steward, and how he found a way to continue to survive even after being dismissed from his role due to his dishonest dealings, by re-evaluating how he used the dishonest wealth he had accumulated. True, he was still not what most would call a trustworthy individual, but he did show remarkable creativity in turning his situation around. In some ways, we should consider how to become equally creative in our approach to making our faith life, simply our life, with no separation of the two. The wealth that we would likely accumulate would then be spiritual wealth rather than just secular wealth, the way we treated others would always be with an eye toward how we treat other children of God, and the focus of our lives would be with Christ first.  Like the unjust steward in the parable, we too will be evaluated on how we pursue and use wealth and position – will we seek true wealth, will we use what we receive justly? We need to be consistent in our actions in this life, how we handle resources, how we use the graces and gifts we receive, and how we treat those who are around us, this is all part of our integrity as stewards of these gifts. We are each of us children of God, there can be no duplicity or separation within us, and in how we live, if we wish to be truly trustworthy stewards united to our Lord. 

It’s easy to sometimes feel as though we are a bit lost, and perhaps we are
(and I don’t mean when our GPS isn’t working). We can feel this way not
just when we have physically lost our sense of direction, but also when
our spiritual selves have lost our way. In today’s Gospel, this is brought to
our attention, but it is not without a message of great hope, for our Lord
tells us that there is greater joy in heaven for one who has lost their way,
and then been found, than in many who have not strayed.
This is profoundly good news for us, because it happens to pretty much all
of us from time to time. I realize we are not mostly farmers anymore, so
our knowledge of sheep may be a bit limited. However, the illustration of
the lost sheep is incredibly appropriate when sometimes describing us,
because sheep will sometimes wander when they find themselves alone,
but they are also herd animals, and their greatest instinct can be to follow
one another even when this leads them to places, they shouldn’t go. They
are more inclined to follow others, than to assess on their own and make
better choices. Yet the good news is that they have a shepherd who will
help and guide them, just as we do, and should they still happen to go
astray, he will embrace them and bring them home.
Our Lord speaks of what was lost and then found, and the joy in heaven
when that happens. Accordingly, since there are very few of us who have
not lost our way on occasion, our joy should be equally great that we may
have confidence in our acceptance when we return home. We are Gods
prodigal children in the truest sense, and like the son in today’s narrative
in the latter part of the Gospel, we will sometimes see the error of our
ways, and hopefully swallow our pride and return home with great
repentance.
There is one thing about the narrative of the prodigal son though that
often seems to get a bit overlooked, and that is the crucial role that the
older brother plays in conveying the full message. We know that he is
angry at the acceptance that the father shows to the younger brother, even
going so far as to run out to meet him, rather than waiting for him to come
to him. I think this is something that we struggle with as well, because
sometimes we are overcome by our Lords compassion to all and His
willingness to meet others along the way, no matter what they have
done.

In our Gospel today, there is an unmistakable reality check that takes place when Jesus addresses the crowds that have been following Him. They have followed him on His physical journey toward Jerusalem, but are they willing to truly be His followers in a way that is much more meaningful? The words that He has spoken up until that point have taught many beautiful lessons, but there hasn’t been a cost attached to them – yet. That all changes in today’s Gospel.  

It’s easy to follow someone when there is nothing required of us. We’re happy to listen to someone’s words, and perhaps to gain some wisdom or insight from them. It is a very different thing to truly be someone’s committed follower knowing that it will not be an easy path, and that there will be personal sacrifice involved. Our Lord took on the cross for each of us, and he endured the pain and suffering that were part of it, so that each one of us might be saved. In today’s Gospel He in turn places a challenge before each of us, that will determine if we are simply those who follow along with His words and enjoy that they are a nice set of ideas, or are we truly His followers who will stake everything upon our belief in Him, and willingly take up our own cross in order to do so? 

To take up our cross is something that is a unique challenge to each one of us. It is unique in what is required of us, and it is unique in how we each take on the challenge. Some of us are called to endure sickness, or loss, or challenging people who we don’t always know how to handle, or perhaps we are burdened by life situations that are beyond our control. No matter what the manifestation, we are called to embrace these things and deal with them, and to do so without losing faith in our Lord, and without losing sight of His teachings. We need to do our best to still live our lives according to His word regardless of how hard our personal situations are. This is not an easy task, because with these sufferings comes the temptation to despair, and to wallow in self, rather than look toward the one who loves us, and can truly help us. Our Lord never made any pretense that our lives would be easy, far from it, He told us point blank that we would have trouble in this life, and that as His followers we would be hated. Yet the promise is that if we endure, we will also be with Him in paradise, we will be one with Him in a way that we cannot even fathom in this existence.  

The words “follow me” are used several times in the Gospels, and in each instance, there is a cost that comes with this call. In the case of Peter, he followed our Lord unto death, and in the case of the rich young man, he found the challenge to be too much and fell away. It can be easy to convince ourselves that the challenge can be too much, yet we must understand that our Lord knows each of us on a level or intimacy that is so great, it is more insightful than our knowledge of ourselves. He knows what we can endure, and He knows the things we need along the way to help us. He is always there, and he will never abandon us in our trials. The cross can be a daunting challenge, but it is one we can each peacefully accept if we stay focused on who called us to it, and who will be with us each step of the way. We are NEVER alone. 

In our Gospel reading today, we are cautioned against the pitfalls of overestimating self-worth, perhaps even to the point of displaying arrogance. Our Lord uses a parable regarding proper prudence to be considered when conducting oneself at a wedding banquet. It is a caution about overestimating our stature, abilities, and gifts. This is something that can most certainly lead to embarrassment, and perhaps more importantly if not called out, to a more persistent overinflated self-worth that does not leave the appropriate room for perceiving the need for improvement. In short – for a conceit that might permeate both our human personalities and our spiritual selves.  

The word humility is not a popular one in our society, primarily because we often don’t understand it. We have developed this perception that humility is either related to continual self-degradation, or worse to the need to self-denigrate only for the purposes of having others correct us so that we can receive some sort of positive feedback – this is in fact false humility when we fish for complimentary feedback in this way. In either case we have gotten it into our heads that to be humble means to take on a dreary countenance and “woe is me” attitude about ourselves. This is completely wrong and needs to be corrected to really grasp much of what is spoken of in the Gospel messages, as humility is a consistent call for all of us. True humility simply means being honest with ourselves and with others about what we bring to the table as human beings. What our strengths and weaknesses are, and how we see ourselves fitting into the picture based on that honest assessment. If I am a good mechanic, but a lousy carpenter, perhaps I will not volunteer to do framing work at Habitat for Humanity, when there is also a need to have some of the cars repaired for parishioners who do not have the means to do so themselves. I am no better or worse than the fellow doing the framing, I am simply blessed with a different talent that I acknowledge and apply where it will help others. Or perhaps I need to acknowledge my own shortcomings with respect to my prayer life. I do not berate myself for it, I simply know that there are others who seem to do better in this area than I do, and so I am humble (honest enough with myself) to seek their counsel and try to improve in this area.   

When we can apply honest self-assessment, and then let it steer our actions, we can then make ourselves more useful to those around us, and to our Lord. There is no one that cannot become a useful implement to our Lord, because the needs of those He watches over are so great and varied that at one point or another pretty much everyone’s skills can be tapped into. More importantly, our willingness to humbly participate at whatever level our Lord deems appropriate shows a healthy submission to God’s will, and places us in the right frame of mind to “serve rather than be served” just as our Lord did. I think we sometimes forget that with service also comes a connectedness that will otherwise be missing from our lives if we stay on the sidelines. If we truly want to feel part of the body of Christ, we need to become involved, and while it may sometimes initially seem like more of a commitment than we would care to take into our busy schedules, I can absolutely promise you, once you try it, you will wonder why it took you so long to do so.  

I will leave you with one final thought. There is no humbler creature in God’s kingdom than the ant who makes his way back and forth each day working for the colony he is part of. He risks being stepped on, predated upon, or perhaps just ignored. Yet none of this matters to him because he is content with his contribution to the good of others and his role in the world that God made. He knows peace through honesty and contribution, and a lack of self-focus that is not neglect, but simple acceptance of his tiny place in the world. He seeks no higher place at the table, yet how often is his example cited (just like here) as one to be emulated. We should all be so fortunate.  

In our Gospel today from Luke, there is an extremely poignant question asked – “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”. The question shows a somewhat broader focus than what is perhaps productive for each of us spiritually – the more personally productive version would be – “Lord, will I be saved?”. This is not to say that we should not be concerned for others, but that we need to start at home, if there is to be much hope of our helping those around us. We cannot help others grow strong spiritually when we are so weak as to be ineffective. Our Lord speaks of a gate that we must each enter through, and that the way is narrow, it will only allow some to pass through. It does not allow those carrying harmful baggage to pass through it. Before we can each pass, we must shed our hatred, lusts, greed, resentments, envy, and indifference in order to become unencumbered by the weight and bulk of these sins. Then, and only then can we pass through that narrow gate.  

To use the term from our first reading, we must each become “clean vessels” in order for us to have sufficiently grown spiritually to be able to pass through the gate to eternal life. The obvious question then, is how do we go about doing so? Our own will and drive will only take us so far in this, as we don’t always have the correct focus on where to direct our energies. We see things as human beings who are still encumbered by our fleshly body that we use for this existence, and all the limitations that come with it. The vision needed to truly see what needs to be addressed comes from the clarity of sight that exists only within a being of spirit. This is where our Lords guidance comes to us to allow us to then make the changes needed. Sometimes this comes in the form of His word that we hear each Sunday or read in the bible. Other times there may be an influence felt through prayer and contemplation, and always these things are nourished by the reception of the Sacraments. However, the heavy changes often come to us through something that we all too often hear we should not like – discipline. God’s discipline and admonition that He gives to those He loves. Over the years discipline has grown to be an ugly word in our society, and more is the pity. When instilled properly, it is a gift of the greatest love, and has an effectiveness that is unrivalled in what it can accomplish on a personal level.  

When I think back on my life and ponder the people who have touched me the most deeply and profoundly, there is an unbroken pattern that emerges. Each of the people that came to mind were ones that I did not always particularly like in terms of either what they had to say, or how they engaged with me. However, it turned out they were also the people who cared enough about me to not let me take the easy path. Instead, they used their influence and energy to move me in a more difficult, but also more productive direction. It is just so with our Lord, He has often been the one that has challenged me, and moved me along a steeper path, and I suspect that when we think back, we have all probably shared some of these experiences. Our Lord is called Father for a very good reason, He is the one who cares enough about us as His children to bother to guide and discipline us when He knows it will do us the best. He does not take the easy path Himself; He cares too much about us to do so, but rather He guides us over the steep and rough terrain that builds our spirits and makes them strong through exercise and sometimes adversity. His concern is for our ability to be strong enough to pass through that narrow gate and be joined with Him in the eternal home prepared for us.  

In today’s Gospel, the message of our Lord is very different from what we are used to hearing, it does not sound like one of peace and love, but rather of conflict and division. Yet, if we really contemplate it, the ultimate message is one of love, it is a call from our Lord to set the earth ablaze with love for Him, and to guard against the dangers of a lukewarm faith.  It is a call to show our faith plainly to others, that they too may come to share in it. 

When Jesus spoke about his coming to bring division rather than peace, He was foretelling the conflict that would arise against those who believe in Him and profess His name because of the fire he kindled within them. He knew the cost would be great, and that many would suffer for their faith in Him. In Mathew 10:22 He tells us that all who profess belief in Him will be hated for his name’s sake. Yet this cost is exactly what he seeks from each of us. He certainly does not wish us harm, but He does know the risks that we will need to endure in order to remain loyal to Him in our professed belief. 

 The prophets knew well the cost that came with fulfilling their call from the Lord to shepherd His people and to give them His message. In our first reading the prophet Jeremiah is vilified by those in power because his message does not agree with what they think is important. Their concerns are purely worldly, where his is focused on the words of God, and what is important to their souls for salvations sake. Not much has changed since then, those in power sought to kill Jesus on many occasions, and all but one of His disciples were killed by the people for their proclamation of their faith, and the message of the Gospel. 

 Even to this present day there is a high cost that often comes with acknowledging one’s beliefs. The world still does not want to hear the words of truth that often conflict with the agendas of the day. We see this in politics, in employers, in the media, and in social circles that we may be a part of. The challenge to each of us is whether we will endure the cost that comes with openly acknowledging what we know to be right, with speaking the truth and acknowledging its source – Jesus Christ. This can be a difficult task, as the hostility that can be encountered can be great, because the same age-old problem exists – once the truth is spoken, there is no going back, and there is accountability that can be very uncomfortable to those who would rather do things their own way. 

 Yet there is no shortage of those who are willing to answer this call. Each year, people risk the loss of family, friends, jobs, and all the things of the world that made them feel safe, when they profess their belief in Jesus Christ and the message of the Gospel. Their love for Christ is more powerful than the risks they take of being persecuted for their belief. It happens abroad in areas of the world that are hostile to Christs message to the point of violence and death, and it happens here at home. Each year in parishes across the country people risk losing their friends, family, and social status in order to take classes to become Catholics. This happens right here in our parish, and their example is inspiring to all who witness it, because we get to see a fulfillment of a fire and pure desire to know Jesus Christ and be part of His body in the Church. Each of us is called in different ways, the question is, will we heed Christs call? 

“Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on His arrival.” On the surface, this seems like a very plain statement that tells us to be watching for the Lords coming, when He will return to judge all of humanity. That is indeed one way to take that quote, but there is another, and I believe that for most of us, the latter interpretation may be a bit more applicable. The second way we can interpret this statement is the more certain meeting we will each experience with our Lord upon our death, and the same question applies – will we be found ready? I have always found it a bit remarkable how much time seems to be spent in some circles contemplating when the Lords next coming will take place, when in fact, He already told us plainly that it is not for us to know; that knowledge belongs solely to the Father.  

The question then is, how do we prepare for the meeting we do know we will each experience with our Lord when we leave this life? We often like to think in terms of what we can each “do” to fulfill our call to love the Lord and one another, and while our actions are indeed part of our call, there is a bit more to it. We need to consider what we have truly accepted through Gods word, what we have come to believe, and in the light of faith are willing to stake our eternal lives on. When talking about faith, I sometimes hear the expression “leap of faith” used, as if to imply that it is an act that does not have a supporting foundation, and that there is a significant element of chance involved in doing so. I do not subscribe to this line of thinking. That might be ok for the purpose of buying a used car (and even then, I doubt the wisdom of that action), but it is certainly unacceptable for something as crucial as the eternal well-being of our souls. We need to be far more versed about what is expected of each of us, and what has been promised in terms of our inheritance as God’s children. The grace of acceptance, belief, and faith in our Lords promise, comes through spending time in reflectively and prayerfully immersing ourselves in His word, and connecting the dots throughout the biblical timeline, that repeatedly show the fulfillment of Gods promises, and the corresponding trust that can be attained through that consistency and reliability. This is not some act of blind, well intentioned wishful thinking.  

In our second reading from Saint Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, we hear of the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, that he would have a son, even though at his age it was almost unthinkable to believe such a thing could happen, and yet because there is nothing impossible for God, it came to pass. All the balance of Gods promise to Abraham was dependent upon his son Isaac, and the heirs that he would produce. Yet God asked Abraham for the greatest of all acts of faith, to give up his son to God by sacrificing him. Abraham did not hesitate; he knew that if God could produce a son for him, then he could also concretely have faith that He could raise him from the dead, and so there was nothing to fear. We too have no reason to fear through what we know of Jesus birth, death, and resurrection for the express purpose of our salvation. There is no leap required, we have Gods word in the books of the bible to provide knowledge, we have the gift of reason and intelligence to process this, we simply need to invest the time in contemplating, asking in prayer for the grace of acceptance, and then committing, so that our faith rests on a firm foundation. There is great peace and surety to be found in a well-reasoned faith, and the preparation will surely keep us vigilant for the Master’s return.  

I have always been enthralled by our first reading which is from the book of Ecclesiastes; All things are vanity! The reading describes so perfectly the plight of the human condition of arrogance and vanity that cause each of us so much unrest and pain in this life. All the things we seem to think we need to worry about are put into perspective if we really meditate on this reading and take home its message. Our toils, anxieties, griefs, sleepless nights, and worry filled days are all pathetically insignificant if we look at them through the lenses of true faith because God has already figured out how to deal with our needs. Our Lord did not create us to spend so much of our time pondering these things, we were in fact created to spend far more of our time pondering the questions of true existence with Him, and how to take our place in His kingdom. The rest should simply be the trivial side items of our lives, and not the primary focus. 

 Each of us was created to be part of God’s plan, and we have been in His mind and heart since the foundation of the world, all with the divine purpose of our salvation being fulfilled, and to accomplish His priorities in our time on this earth. To die to our earthly desires, and to put on our new selves which are fashioned in the image of the Creator. To pursue truth, generosity, love, and the well-being of one another rather than self-gratification. To become an unhindered member of the body of Christ that is already beginning a form of detachment from this world in anticipation of embracing the next. This is not some farfetched philosophy; it is practicable each day. It does in fact take quite a bit of practice for most of us, and as part of that, it requires help through the reception of grace requested in prayer. If we begin with praying for awareness of the needs of those around us, and to receive generosity of heart as a foundational spiritual gift that will allow us to put others first, we are well equipped to begin our transformation. This does not come all at once, there is no magic switch that is tripped. It comes through humble discipline and at times struggle, but this is the proper nature of this world’s existence. We live in a classroom of sorts, and this is part of the lessons to be taught.  

In our Gospel today, our Lord makes truly clear what should be a priority in our lives, by illustrating what is not, and the consequences of those pursuits. He tells us specifically “To take care against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions”. This does not mean we cannot have any possessions; it simply means that this is not to be our primary focus. As we work to maintain ourselves and our families, there is nothing wrong with yielding the fruits of that labor, it is when we lose sight of our focus on God’s plan because we are blinded by selfish desire that we are in danger. The rich man in the parable whose land produced a bountiful harvest was concerned only with his own comfort, and he tells us this through his self-dialogue; there is not a thought given to others who are in need and could benefit from his surplus of newfound wealth. He is rich in possessions, but truly poor in spirit.  

Our Lord reveals to him his fate and the futility of all his labor because it will be going to others in the end anyway. This is the message – the only true wealth exists in what will stay with us even when we have left this world. In what the hearts of others hold when they remember us, and in what our Lord knows of our own heart.  

Our readings today paint a very clear picture for each of us about the power at our disposal through prayer, and a reminder of our position as Gods children and heirs that has been granted us through Jesus Christ. Saint Paul tells us clearly of what our Lord accomplished through his passion and death, when he nailed the old bond that existed against each of us to His cross, and in doing so brought us to life by granting forgiveness for all our transgressions.  

In our Gospel, our Lord responds to the request of His disciples to learn how to pray by granting them the perfect prayer that we know today as the “Our Father”. This prayer is a beautiful summary of the Gospels and encompasses all our needs, and all that we need to acknowledge to our Father in Heaven. It is the perfect starting point for His disciples who are looking to emulate what they have so often seen our Lord do.  

Yet there is more that goes with the granting of this prayer, there is a lesson from our Lord on the efficacy of persistence in prayer. He illustrates the point using sets of very common circumstances that His followers would likely have encountered on their own, and how even these basic circumstances can lead to a successful outcome. However, there is a much deeper relationship that exists through prayer, because as our Lord tells us, our relationship is not one of neighbors, but of family. God is our Father, and He seeks to give us the good things that are beneficial to us. This does not mean that He is going to give us everything that we ask for, nor will it necessarily happen at the time that we make our request. Like any good parent, Our Lord evaluates our request, and decides if what we are asking for really is good for us in the grand plan that He has for us, and at least as importantly whether the moment is right for us to receive what we have asked for. Our Lord knows each of us, his children, and what they need and are ready for, far better than we ourselves. Any parent can tell you about the pitfalls of simply granting any request that a child makes, and how this is detrimental in the long term particularly, but also even in the short term if the request is for something that could prove harmful, perhaps even in a way that the child has not anticipated. Yet we must always remember that all this is done with the greatest love, and with an eye toward keeping us safe and protected.  

This does not mean though, that just because our Lord does not immediately grant us what we request, we should just stop asking. Sometimes an element of persistence is required. Any parent can tell you that one of the ways to see if a child is truly ready for what they are asking for is to measure their maturity by evaluating their persistence. In our first reading, Abraham is listening to our Lord about what His plans are for the city of Sodom which has been the center of much evil being committed. Yet there is concern on Abraham’s part for any of the people that live there who are not part of this evil being done, and so he asks our Lord whether He intends to take this into account in His decision about whether to destroy the city. He is so persistent in his queries that he is finally concerned that he might be testing our Lords patience, and yet, with the faith and dependence of a child that trusts its parent, he continues. He knows that he is speaking to the God of the universe, and that by all rights he has no basis to question His actions, yet there is love and concern for others, and this drives his continued questions. The beauty of this concern surely does not escape the Fathers notice, and so His patience remains, just as it will with each of us if we are persistent. We should never doubt that our Lord will show this same patience to each of us with our prayers, and so have the courage that Abraham displayed, as sons and daughters of a Father who we know is all loving and deserving of all our trust.