In today’s homily, Fr. Chris Alar, MIC emphasized that sacrificial love is the path that leads us to Heaven. Jesus makes clear that anyone who desires to follow Him must be willing to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. If we continually place ourselves, our comfort, and our desires above Christ, we lose sight of what it means to be His disciple. Fr. Chris explained that suffering, when united with Christ, can become a means of salvation because it joins us to the way of the Cross. Just as Peter tried to persuade Jesus to avoid suffering; echoing the temptation of Satan, Jesus firmly corrected him, showing that the Christian life is not about escaping every sacrifice but trusting and following God’s way.
To deny ourselves does not mean that the good things and pleasures of life are wrong. Rather, it means that they cannot become the center of our lives or take the place that belongs to Christ. Following Jesus requires us to leave our comfort zones, surrender our own plans, and allow Him to lead us. We do not tell Jesus where He should take us; He leads, and we follow. True discipleship therefore means choosing love even when it costs us something, accepting sacrifices with faith, and keeping Christ above our own preferences. Through this kind of sacrificial love, we become more closely united with Jesus and continue on the path that leads to eternal life.

Readings for August 30th 2026: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083026.cfm
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In this homily, Fr. Chris Alar explores the Grace of God and the key differences between Catholic and Protestant understandings of grace and salvation. Discover how God freely gives us His grace, how we are called to respond and cooperate with it, and how that grace transforms our lives in Christ.

A meaningful reflection for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of faith, grace, salvation, and our relationship with God.