In this weekend’s gospel, one of Jesus’ disciples says to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” It’s such a simple request, but deep. Because they had seen Jesus pray many times. They noticed something different about His prayer. Something personal, powerful, full of love and confidence. They were asking Jesus to bring them into the heart of His relationship with God.

This weekend's readings focus on the sacrifice of charitable works. Every genuine act of love and charity on behalf of others is a gift of self. This entails some element of sacrifice. We serve Christ and others by giving of ourselves and our resources. What we find with every act of heartfelt charity is that we end up with more rather than less. It's true that we may sacrifice time, money, emotional or physical capital when we serve others, but these gifts that God has given to us are meant to be used to enrich our lives by enriching the lives of others by helping them come to Christ and live in God's goodness and truth.

Our readings this week focus on responding to God's voice. Moses tells the people, "If only you would heed the voice of the Lord your God and keep His commandments…For this command is not too mysterious or remote for you…It is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts. You have only to carry it out." The Psalm response echoes this injunction to heed God's voice by reminding us that the Word of God is Spirit and life. This Word is alive in our hearts through Christ who, as St. Paul says to the Colossians, "is the head of the Body, the Church." In the Gospel, Jesus gives a very practical example of hearing and responding to God's Word through the Good Samaritan's act of justice and mercy to his neighbor on the roadside.

The sending of the seventy-two disciples teaches us a lot about being a disciple of Christ sent to evangelize. Christ gives us His grace as He sends us to make our lives and vocations bear fruit abundantly in whatever situation we are in! I'll share a few Gospel highlights below to help us remember His wisdom and grace as He sends us out this day: