1st Reading - Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Responsorial Psalm - 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
2nd Reading - Romans 8:26-27
Gospel: Matthew 13:24-43
I had trouble separating these readings this week. I keep reading all of them and after reading all of them - I felt I had an overall feeling of the wonder and awe of God. I realized that God gave us free will out of His complete and unconditional love for each of us. As much as He wants each of us to choose Love, to choose Good, to choose truth and beauty.....He allows us to choose evil, too! But He doesn't judge us right away (although, I have experienced His loving discipline when I have sinned). The ultimate judgement is saved for the end of time. We actually will choose our final eternal resting place. Will it be heaven or hell?
God is certainly merciful. We read that over and over in the Holy Scriptures. But I believe He is also just to condemn when we use our free will not to choose to Love.
The Gospel also teaches me to not judge others. Remember last week when I shared that I had been every seed in the gospel? I praise God, that I wasn't thrown into Gehenna when I was the bad seed. God gave me time to repent and choose to Love. Yes, I still mess up. That's why I love the sacrament of confession! It's such a "shower for the soul!" It's the ultimate Catholic "do-over". God is ready to forgive and forget as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12).
Just this week I was struggling with someone who "rubs me the wrong way". Someone who is Christian but doesn't act like it very often. I was judging that person harshly. At Friday mass, the priest's homily reminded me about my call by Jesus to love unconditionally - regardless how others act to me. Isn't God wonderful? I was in the midst of my great sin of "judging" someone else of being "sinful". Will I ever get it? Will I ever be Holy? It's a good thing it's Saturday, I can go get my shower of Confession!!!
Have a blessed week!
Nancy
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