The Catholic life is not one of apparent success. Failure seems more the stepping stone to building the kingdom of God here on earth and inevitably finding our own salvation in eternity.

The Catholic life is not one of apparent success. Failure seems more the stepping stone to building the kingdom of God here on earth and inevitably finding our own salvation in eternity.
This Sunday’s Gospel reminds us of the historical and practical reason why Jesus laid such stringent conditions before his followers while also challenging us with the metaphorical context as to how much are we willing to sacrifice to follow Christ.
When religious beliefs and rituals, and other ideologies rob us of our innate humanity, it is time to re-evaluate their purpose and goal. The parable of the Good Samaritan is a splendid example of how we should not judge people based on their origins and that serving our neighbor in need comes before superficial, even pretentious, religious rites.
Holy Week reminds us to die to the world and self, in imitation of Christ, the eternal king, in order to achieve the glory of God’s kingdom.