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Are we not to turn away from our sinful pasts? Are we not to reconcile ourselves with our Father who loves us? Inspite of our wickedness or what evil we had done. Despite how we have failed to live out best possible lives, according to His Will for us. Our loving Father is calling us back to Him.

Great rejoicing there will be, for when the repentant sinner who comes home! But let us take heed! For we know not when the door to come home will be closed. That is why Jesus is upset and mourns for the sinner who refuses to turn back to God, for the harsh reality is that the door will be shut for all eternity. How painful it must be to be separated from our loving Father.

Through the intercession of our blessed mother Mary and all the Saints, may we never lose our God. Amen

GOSPEL
Matthew 11:20–24

Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum:

Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.

For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

How many of us have either family and friends who have lapsed in their faith or are of a different religion or belief? How many of these have either kept their distance or who are antagonistic towards us simply because of our faith in Jesus? How many have encouraged us to leave our faith or tried to use our faith against us?

What are we to do? First and foremost we need to acknowledge Jesus as our sovereign Lord. Above all and above all things. No one can ever love us more than He. We need to grow in our faith and love. We must learn that we can bear all burdens and suffering for His yoke is easy and we bear not alone. We must be forgiving, loving and seek to serve Him by serving our brethren. Only then, by the way we lead our lives, with Him, through Him and in Him can we hope to bring our family, friends and all who would listen into faith.

Lord Jesus be our light and our guide as we take up our cross and follow You. Amen

GOSPEL
Matthew 10:34C11:1

Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter–in–law against her mother–in–law; and one’s enemies will be those of his household.

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple– amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.