Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth. JN 17:17
1 TIMOTHY 1:1-2,12-14
My Soul's Beloved,
Today, we are reminded by none other than St. Paul that we ought not to write off anyone too quickly. Sinners can become great saints, as we have seen in the history of the Church. The grace of God can touch anyone at any time and transform lives into something beautiful for You.
No one who knew Saul, and most of all he himself, would have ever believed for a moment that he who hated early Christians with a hatred so great and so all-consuming because he thought he was doing God's will, would become the greatest missionary of all time. My Lord, You can penetrate the hardest, most evil heart and fill it with grace and love. I will not lose hope, Lord, but will continue to pray, hope, and trust that my prayers are aligned with Your will. You desire that all be saved and come to the knowledge of Truth, the Truth that saves.
I believe, Lord, that in the end Your Sacred Heart and will, will triumph gloriously.
From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus appointed by the command of God our saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, true child of mine in the faith; wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Mercy, however, was shown me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus.
PSALM 15(16):1-2,5,7-8,11
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.’
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever.
Jesus told a parable to the disciples: ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.’
From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus appointed by the command of God our saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, true child of mine in the faith; wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Mercy, however, was shown me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus.
PSALM 15(16):1-2,5,7-8,11
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.’
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever.
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
LUKE 6:39-42
My Soul's Beloved,
My Soul's Beloved,
The parable reminds us not to rush too quickly to judgment and condemnation of anyone. All of us have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God, but we are all too quick to exonerate ourselves, yet are not so generous with the faults and failings of others. As disciples, we cannot pay Your teaching and doctrines just lip service while judging others by them; instead, we are to follow them so closely that it becomes our way of life. Unless we make Your teaching the rule of our life, we will always fall short of the goal, which is authentic discipleship, and the easier it will be to nitpick the little faults of others.
Daily examination of our conscience will give us a greater awareness of our shortcomings. With true contrition, a firm purpose of amendment, and with the help of grace, we will be able to focus on being holy and perfect like our heavenly Father, and be less occupied with the shortcomings of others.
Jesus told a parable to the disciples: ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.’
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