25th Sunday after Pentecost 2013 – Part 1
St. Paul wrote the epistle to the Colossians while he was imprisoned.  In it, St. Paul emphasized the supremacy of Our Lord over all creatures and His equality with God the Father.  Mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience are virtues rarely found among Catholics today.  It is through charity that we reach perfection, the intimate union with God.  Charity unites and informs all the other virtues, changing them into true expressions of love.  A gift is only valuable when it comes from love.  If we do not increase in charity, the good works we perform will not increase our glory in Heaven.  We should consider how much we have grown in holiness after so many years of being a Catholic.  This Gospel contains one of the few parables for which Christ gave a direct explanation. It is the perfect parable for our own time.
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