Live as children of light

Sisters and brothers in Christ, Saint Paul gives us wonderful words of wisdom to live by in his Letter to the Ephesians, encouraging them and us to "[be] kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. . . For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light."

Let us reflect on the times when we were not kind to another, did not show compassionate to another, or did not forgive another, especially loved ones. Then, ask the Holy Spirit to pour grace upon grace into our hearts so that we can be kind, compassionate, and forgive as God is kind, compassionate, and forgiving of us. Alone, it is hard for us but, with God's help through His Spirit, we can be imitators of God and live in love as Jesus loves us unconditionally and sacrificially.

Yesterday, I had the blessed opportunity to lead our Youth Group in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. I used a Guided Meditation to help them feel Jesus' love for them and his desire for them to turn in him in their times of need but also to share their joys with him. God's love and mercy is, as we read in today's Gospel, is limitless. God is there for us 24-7, every day of our lives. We just need to turn to him in prayer and invite him into our lives, into our hearts.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.

And a woman was there who for eighteen years

had been crippled by a spirit;

she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.

When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,

“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”

He laid his hands on her,

and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.

But the leader of the synagogue,

indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,

said to the crowd in reply,

“There are six days when work should be done.

Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”

The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!

Does not each one of you on the sabbath

untie his ox or his ass from the manger

and lead it out for watering?

This daughter of Abraham,

whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,

ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day

from this bondage?”

When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;

and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.