Reading 1 Wis 1:1-7
Love justice, you who judge the earth;
think of the Lord in goodness,
and seek him in integrity of heart;
Because he is found by those who test him not,
and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him.
For perverse counsels separate a man from God,
and his power, put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy;
Because into a soul that plots evil, wisdom enters not,
nor dwells she in a body under debt of sin.
For the holy Spirit of discipline flees deceit
and withdraws from senseless counsels;
and when injustice occurs it is rebuked.
For wisdom is a kindly spirit,
yet she acquits not the blasphemer of his guilty lips;
Because God is the witness of his inmost self
and the sure observer of his heart
and the listener to his tongue.
For the Spirit of the Lord fills the world,
is all-embracing, and knows what man says.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 139:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know the whole of it.
Behind me and before, you hem me in
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
too lofty for me to attain.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Gospel Lk 17:1-6
Jesus said to his disciples,
"Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying, "I am sorry,"
you should forgive him."
And the Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."
Meditation: Psalm 139
“O Lord, you have probed me, and you know me.” (Psalm 139:1)
Lord, when I read these words, my heart becomes anxious. It makes me cringe to think that you know my inmost thoughts, everything about me, even the words I have yet to speak. You know the sharp word I barely held back from my spouse? You know how my thoughts wander in directions that only satisfy my greed? You know those disparaging comments I made about a co-worker in a moment of anger? That’s just too much for me to handle! If you see everything, even my worst, how can I stand before you? Like Adam and Eve, my first impulse is to try to find a place to hide.
But where can I hide from you? I can’t avoid your Spirit, who dwells within me! No matter where I go, you are there, behind me and before me. You rest your hand on me. How can that be? Are you not, in your justice, repelled by my failures? No, Lord, for your justice is dispensed with great mercy. Even if I were to sink to the lowest place, you would still be there. You would be with me no matter where I go.
How amazing, Lord, that you show such kindness to me! You guide me and hold me fast, even when I am at my lowest! When I most need you to lead me out of the darkness, you are ready for me. You understand me and can untangle the mess I sometimes make. I don’t need to fear your scrutiny, because when you look at me, your eyes shine with love.
Lord, help me to open my life more fully to you. Come and examine every corner of my heart, because your light can cast out any bit of darkness in me. Let your gaze fall upon me so that I can be healed. Let my failures be exposed so that I can walk in the freedom of a forgiven child of God! Lord, I come to you with confidence and trust. I rejoice that though you don’t accept my sin, you love me and call me your child!
“I love you, Lord! Your complete understanding of me is too wonderful for me to grasp, but I rejoice in it!”
No comments:
Post a Comment