Growing up I loved to watch game shows, and Family Feud was a staple as two families competed to reveal what the results of a survey said. This Sunday’s gospel seems to be an episode modeled after that show as Jesus talks about the internal conflict necessary to be a disciple.

The point of Jesus’ story of a family feud is to demonstrate the attitude necessary to live for the Kingdom. All of us are called to have great zeal for the Kingdom and to remember that nothing can deter us from serving God - money, career, ambitions and family inclusive. God is to be the number one answer on our survey for every problem, desire, and want that we have.

Obviously, it is not easy to live our faith every day, but we must compete well for our faith and be willing to endure difficulty and hardship for the sake of the Kingdom. The Letter to the Hebrews promises us that we will encounter the cross, and the Prophet Jeremiah demonstrates that sacrifice and suffering will accompany us on the way to heaven. Let’s pray that we can always persevere in serving Christ so that our bonus round does not bring fast money, but instead eternal joy.

Monday, August 15th is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
It is a holy day, but since it falls on a Monday, it is not a day of obligation. This feast commemorates Mary’s ascent into heaven body and soul upon the conclusion of her earthly life since she was free of all stain of sin. Although the official declaration of the Assumption was proclaimed in 1950 by Pope Pius XII, the Church has long believed that Mary experienced the full fruits of the Resurrection immediately due to her sinlessness and purity. This feast gives us all hope in the promise of the Resurrection. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!