Bishop Alberto Rojas calls on the faithful of the Diocese of San Bernardino to vote ‘No’ on Proposition 1, an extreme and unnecessary proposal that would increase abortion in California.

Our Gospel this weekend, the Parable of the Dishonest Steward, is so strange and puzzling that St. Augustine himself said, “I can’t believe that this story came from the lips of our Lord.” It appears that Jesus is praising a dishonest steward for deception, or that he is praising him for stealing money for his own advantage. But he is not. He is rather encouraging the inventory of goods, the prudent use of resources, and the clear anticipation of the future.

I was having coffee with my aunt and cousin outside of Albany the morning of 9/11. My father was a Baltimore firefighter who died in the line of duty back in May 1977, and my stomach tightened when news of the World Trade Center first came on the television. My aunt and cousin were panicked as another one of my cousins works only blocks from Ground Zero. We prayed and cried together before I rushed back to Buffalo. Along the highway, I could see emergency vehicles heading toward New York City. At the rest stops, people were huddled around the TV monitors and crying.

We cannot separate the cross from Jesus. Following him requires detachment from comfort and convenience. We cannot love comfort more than God. Following him requires readiness to face even the difficulties and challenges of life.