Daily Gospel Reflection for October 8, 2018

Today's Gospel: Luke 10:25-37 Do you think Jesus is not going to allow me to get away with criticizing everything my neighbor does, berating and second guessing their every decision, and not forgiving even the smallest of trespasses? If so, I am golden because that is how I love on myself most days. Yes, I am fairly confident He would not allow this toward my neighbor, nor would He be on board for me treating myself that way either. To truly love ourselves it may first help to remember we are created in God's image and likeness and second, God doesn't make mistakes. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139); we are all masterpieces of the infallible Creator. If we are blessed to see the good within, we may still struggle to love our neighbor whose good seems to be stuck really, really deep within. Pray for the grace to remember they too are made in God's image and likeness. When we strive to love God with all our hearts, all our minds, and all our strength; God blesses us with an outpouring of grace upon our earthly relationships. Our love for God should come above all things, and there should be no difference between the love for self and for other. It is our surrender to love God that makes it so much easier to love all who are created by God. That loves produces the grace to know that somewhere even if we can't see it, they too are good and worthy of love, because God didn't make them by mistake either.

Ponder:

How does strengthening your relationship with God improve all of your other relationships?

Pray:

I fear that I may never accomplish the command to love the Lord your God with all my being. May my desire to love You so fully, be the unspoken prayer of my heart, to not only love You so fully but my neighbor as well.