Be Not Afraid This Sunday’s readings remind us of the eternal stakes of how we live in this world. Amos warns the complacent who indulge in comfort while ignoring the suffering around them. The psalm calls us to praise the Lord who defends the poor, the widow, and the stranger. St. Paul exhorts Timothy to “pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness,” holding firm to eternal life. And in the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus—a sobering call to conversion, compassion, and justice. May we open our eyes and hearts to Christ in the poor and live as children of the light.

Be Not Afraid – Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time This Sunday’s readings challenge us to consider how we treat the poor, how we pray for leaders, and how we remain faithful to God rather than wealth. The prophet Amos warns against injustice toward the lowly, while St. Paul urges us to pray for all in authority. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that no one can serve two masters—we cannot serve both God and mammon. Together, these readings invite us to trust God’s providence, act with integrity, and lift up the poor.

This week on Be Not Afraid, Fr. PJ McManus and Fr. Fabian Moncada reflect on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. From the bronze serpent in the desert to Christ lifted high upon the Cross, the readings reveal the mystery of God’s saving love. St. Paul reminds us that Jesus humbled himself, even to death on a cross, and was exalted so that every knee might bend at his name. In the Gospel of John, we hear the heart of the Good News: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.” Join us as we explore how the Cross—once an instrument of suffering and shame—has become the sign of victory, salvation, and eternal life.

This week on Be Not Afraid, Fr. PJ McManus and Fr. Fabian Moncada break open the readings for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Wisdom reminds us that without God’s Spirit, human plans falter, but with His guidance our path is made straight. St. Paul appeals to Philemon with radical charity, urging him to see Onesimus no longer as a slave but as a brother in Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges the crowds—and us—to count the cost of discipleship, even to the point of carrying the cross and renouncing all possessions. Join us as we explore what true wisdom, costly discipleship, and Gospel freedom look like in our lives today.

Fr. PJ McManus and Fr. Fabian Moncada