MONDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT MARCH 1, 2021

MASS READINGS:

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 6:36-38

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

REFLECTION: “Stop judging and you will not be judged."

Nowadays many people do not want to speak up because, after all, we all remember God's call of “Stop judging and you will not be judged." Many, therefore, shrug their shoulders, keep their heads down and wonder where are we headed.

But how many people remember Jesus calling us to make righteous judgements (John 7:24) when the Pharisees and the Sadducees were upset when Jesus cured on the Sabbath. St Paul exhorted us to judge fellow believers. (1 Corinthians 2:15)-spiritual judgment because we have the mind of Christ.

Can we remain quiet against homosexual practice; against abortion or euthanasia, or a child deprived of a mother and father because of same sex adoption; or object to have our tax dollars fund morally wrong laws or orders? Will God then judge us for not following and extolling His commandments?

We are to take up righteous causes and expose the wicked. We have the judicial system so that we can have rightful justice. We don't know what is in someone's heart, nor their motives or intentions, nor should we have a condemning attitude but we can judge spiritually, offering grace and forgiveness, compassion, loving and blessing when others judge us.

As I get older I see how things have changed and how complex life can be. These days the ground shifts below me and for some the journey has gotten harder and more difficult. Many young people do not think how we think, do not follow the commandments, and might not have a good moral compass.

That is why we are here, this year, this time, this day. PAPA prays for priests. We pray that their service to God will guide us during these troubling and quickly changing times. Pray that their voices will be loud and clear in showing us the mind of Jesus. Saving not only our souls but the souls of many. Jeeesus---Merrrcy

The PAPA Prayer for Priests

Today take the hand of someone and share God's love with them.

God Bless You