TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OUR MIND

485th Meditation

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Mt 22:37).

We all know this commandment (Dt 6:5), of which Jesus reminds us again in the Gospel. It is the first and most important of all the commandments. When we observe it, it gives us the strength to keep the second commandment, to love our neighbor as ourselves, as we begin to see him as a beloved child of God. Read More

Caution in the face of praise

Mt 22:15-21

Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk.  And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodi-ans, saying, Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men.  Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” Read More

The Holy Spirit: the key to standing firm

Lk 12:8-12

‘I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, the Son of man will declare himself for him in the presence of God’s angels. But anyone who disowns me in the presence of human beings will be disowned in the presence of God’s angels. ‘Everyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven, but no one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven. ‘When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.’ Read More

WEAKNESS: A DIVINE REMEDY

482nd Meditation

“Do not grieve when you feel your weakness. On the contrary, rejoice, for I am your defense and your victory” (Inner Word).

It is very important for us to know that our Father does not measure us by our weaknesses. Rather, we should be aware that His goodness accompanies us precisely in those areas where we feel weak. Of course, as we follow the Lord, we must work on our weaknesses and not just give in to them. But in His wisdom, our Father leaves us certain weaknesses so that we do not become proud and always remember that it is He who gives us the victory. Read More

No hypocrisy

Lk 12:1-7

At that time, so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they trod upon one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

Read More

The time of God’s forbearance

Rom 3:21-30a

‘God’s saving justice was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but now it has been revealed altogether apart from law: God’s saving justice given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. No distinction is made: all have sinned and lack God’s glory, and all are justified by the free gift of his grace through being set free in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Read More

I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves

Lk 10:1-9

After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come.  And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.  Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.  Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road.  Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’  And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. 

Read More