As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, ""Follow me."" And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, ""Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"" He heard this and said, ""Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.""
REFLECTION
“As Jesus walked by he saw a man…”
In the book “Secrets of the Interior Life”, Bishop Luis M Martinez writes the necessity to detach from all affections in order not to deprive our Lord a portion of our heart. Thinking and meditating on this I asked the Lord to help me be able and willing to give Him 100% of my heart.
And this is His answer and my story….
I went to Mass at a different Church as I had an early doctor’s appointment and I needed to pick up a prescription at the local drugstore nearby before my appointment. The homily was about obedience to God, to listen to Him. “We evangelize through our deeds” were the priest’s last words.
Outside the pharmacy was a homeless man with a wagon full of plastic bottles. I purposely collected my iPad and phone from the car and put them in my purse. Making eye contact, he greeted me with a “Hello, ma’m” and I responded with a smile and a “Good morning.”
As soon as I walked into the drugstore, I had a strong inclination to buy him some food. Not just a nudge but a strong feeling. Well, the pharmacy department was not open yet and so I went up and down the food aisle. Bought him food, he thanked me and then he gave half his food to another homeless man who had joined him, telling me "we share with one another".
A very small act of kindness reinforcing that all good we do—big or small gives our love to God and in turn to others.
Meditation: Next time when thinking of big things to do, remember that in that cup of water, that smile, that small act of kindness, we get closer to God, closer to that perfect union.
Ponder: A slight speck of worry, fear or danger can be that hindrance, that barrier that prevents Jesus from uniting Himself to our souls. How can we free our hearts to cast ourselves completely into His heart?
God Bless You and let us pray for priests and one another.
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