Today's Gospel: Luke 10:25-37 - Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary Usually when I hear or read this passage, I focus on "love your neighbor as yourself" or the spectacular generosity of the Samaritan. But today I was startled to notice the transition between question-and-answer and the parable: "But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus..." Oh look. It's me. But Lord, I don't have time to...I'm tired...I just don't feel like it...She was mean to me first...Who is my neighbor, anyway? Justification? It's my middle name. If you spin it just right, every excuse sounds completely valid. Surely I can be let off the hook just this once, Lord? You don't really mind, right? You understand. Spin it as you will though, trying to justify ourselves to the Word made flesh, He Who is Truth incarnate, never works. He sees through my little white lies, into my cowardice, my love for comfort, my desire to look good in front of others. More often I'm the priest or the Levite than the Samaritan, but just like the scholar of the law, I'll try to justify my behavior. The truth will set you free, though, and the truth the scholar couldn't acknowledge is that love knows no boundaries; in Love, each person is my neighbor, and in loving them, I love the God Who created me.

Ponder:

How have I tried to justify or excuse myself to God in prayer lately? Find one moment today to bring to Him the truth of a fault or mistake, and receive His loving mercy.

Pray:

My Jesus, help me to embrace the truth of who I am -- in all my gifts and faults -- and stop trying to justify my mistakes and sins. Keep me strong in the knowledge of Your love for me, and constant in loving You.
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About the Author

Rebecca W. Martin

Rebecca W. Martin

Rebecca W. Martin, a trade book Acquisitions Editor for Our Sunday Visitor and Assistant Editor at Chrism Press, lives in Michigan with her husband and too many cats. A perpetually professed Lay Dominican, Rebecca serves as editor for Veritas, a quarterly Lay Dominican publication. Her children’s book Meet Sister Mary Margaret will release in fall 2023 from OSV Kids.