Expect nothing in return

Albert Einstein once wrote “Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we know, that we are here for the sake of others. Many times a day, I realize how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”

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It is not a competition!

“The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”Jesus certainly has a way of turning everything upside down, or rather right side up, depending on your particular point of view.  The greatest is the least, by the very fact of thinking he’s the greatest; and the least is the greatest, by the very fact of thinking he’s the least.  The word ‘humility’ comes from the Latin ‘humus’, which means soil and is generally associated with words such as abject, ignoble, of poor condition, not worth much.

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Go and make a difference!

After his resurrection, Jesus commanded his disciples to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” [Mt 28:19].  Known as the Great Commission, this is a direct call to action by all the members of the body of Christ to evangelize, to bring the “gospel” or “good news” to others. God commissions us to speak His word to others. Do you witness the truth and joy of the gospel by word and example to those around you?

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A clean conscience is what God wants

Saint Theresa of Liseux once said that “The value of life does not depend upon the place we occupy, but upon the way we occupy that place.”Over the past few weeks we have read and heard Jesus chastise the Pharisees for placing great importance on outward appearances. They loved to have the place of honor at banquets. They liked to be greeted with respect in the market place. Jesus saw into their minds and hearts. He pointed out the exaggerated importance that they attached to the outward, to the physical.

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The vineyard belongs to God

Khalil Gibran once wrote “If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don’t, they never were.”  In a very real sense, this describes God’s love for us. He loves us unconditionally and out of His generosity has provided each of us with a beautiful vineyard upon which we can produce a bountiful harvest.

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Everyone is a child of God

In 2010, nearly one in six persons in the U.S. was living in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In a report release in September 2011 it was noted that 46 million people (15%) now live in poverty in the United States. Sixteen million of our children (almost one out of four) are growing up poor. And the recent unemployment numbers continue to hover above 9 percent nationally and over 13 percent here in Nevada.

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