Word of the Week

  As I read the Scripture passage in Luke 16 about stewardship, I was compelled to take inventory of my stewardship responsibilities. We are all stewards of some sort. If you are a parent, you are a steward over your children's lives until they become mature adults. If you are a business owner, you are a steward over your employees and customers as it relates to the goods and services you offer to the public. If you are a minister, you are a steward to minister to the needs of others. Our personal life, social life and family life, cannot be separated from the idea of stewardship. In Luke 16, Jesus shared a parable about a shrewd steward, but the focus in this reflection is on our personal "stewardship" responsibilities. Jesus said, "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So, he called him in and asked him, "what is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer" (Luke ...

In Luke 15, Jesus shared three parables: The Parable of the Lost Sheep, The Parable of the Lost Coin, and The Parable of the Lost Son. All three have a common theme: Something lost and found. The parable of the lost sheep, however, speaks more about the person identified as the shepherd than the lost sheep. Jesus compelled his listeners to put themselves in the shoes of the shepherd. He did this because some of those present were Pharisees and teachers of the law who had excluded others. Then he expressed how joyful it is in heaven when one sinner out of the many repents.   Yet, without taking the focus away from our Lord as our Shepherd, let me ask this question: suppose one of your family members, friends, or neighbours went astray, will it be of any importance to you that such person be restored unto the Lord? How far are you willing to go to win back that soul for the Lord? As Jesus asked: “doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until...

  In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters -- yes, even their own life, such person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower, won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:26-28). Jesus resorts to a vivid hyperbole when he joins the word "hate" to one’s immediate family. Yet, he's not inferring we should hate our loved ones, but rather, that we should love him even more than how we love our family members. Then he connected this kind of love for Him to carrying our cross and our commitment to being his disciple. The cross is not a one-time event; it is a daily experience. Thus, all that the cross represents, we must carry around daily. The cross represents death, sacrifice, shame, pain, ridicule, and likewise, free...

  In attending a wedding feast, Jesus noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table. In seeing this, he spoke this parable: “ When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honour, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, "Give this person your seat." Then humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, "Friend, move up to a better place." Then you will be honoured in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted [Luke 14:7-14]”. Greco-Roman world banquets were also events that exemplified social status for the rich and famous. A person's place at the table or his proximity to the host would indicate one's status. Even in today...