David

The late Pope Francis reflected on the Parable of the Good Samaritan as a “ray of light” for our contemporary world where people too often fail to respond to the needs of the poor and vulnerable. Francis presented the Samaritan – whom he called “a stranger on the road” – as a symbol of fraternity and social friendship creating “a culture of encounter” that builds bridges of love among all people [“Fratelli Tutti”, No. 2].

In

Do we think of ourselves as missionaries? Probably not, though occasionally we may hear it said that we all have a vocation, a calling that is not only for priests and other religious. Whatever hesitation we may have, however, at the end of Mass we are asked to spread the word. That is the peace of Christ: it is our mission.

In this week’s gospel reading (Matthew 16:13), Jesus asks His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”. The disciples offer various answers, including that some believe Jesus to be John the Baptist, Elijah, or Jeremiah.