Daily Gospel Reflection for July 28, 2015

Today's Gospel: Matthew 13:36-43

Jesus is certainly speaking plainly to his disciples in today’s Gospel. It is clear what will happen to the “children of the Kingdom” versus the “children of the Evil One.” And yet, we still sometimes behave as if we aren’t going to get into trouble. We stress God’s mercy and forget about God’s justice. We forget that it’s not only what we do but how our actions affect others.

I’m not implying that we are all terrible sinners leading others astray. I do think, though, that Jesus is reminding us, out of love, that in the end you answer to God for the life you have led. And so it is good for us to take a spiritual inventory, clean out the weeds, and “shine like the sun” so we can eventually be with God.

Ponder:

What are the weeds in my life that need to be cleaned out? Do I have the kind of life that will allow me to stand before God and not be afraid of what will happen to me?

Pray:

Jesus, I long to be a child of the Kingdom. Help me to grow in understanding of both God’s mercy and justice. Lead me and guide me to live as God’s child. Amen.

We thank our friends at The Word Among Us for providing our gospel reflection team with copies of Abide In My Word 2015: Mass Readings at Your Fingertips. To pray the daily gospels with this wonderful resource, visit The Word Among Us.

Copyright 2015 Deanna Bartalini