Daily Gospel Reflection for March 24, 2022

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Luke 11:14-23

I believe that the emotions we view as negative can still be gifts from God if we keep them moderate. Fear keeps us alert to danger so we recognize and avoid it. Guilt is an excellent check and balance if we use it to question our behavior and keep us on the straight and narrow. Sadness helps us recognize the contrasts of life, making us mindful and appreciative of the times when we feel joy.

It's when we allow these emotions to grow to the extreme that they move from a place of grace to the domain of darkness.That's when these emotions can debilitate us, muting the voice of God within, and muting our voice to speak up for what is right.

When we let fear imprison us, we lose our ability to speak up, and we grow deaf to the voice of reason in our hearts. That's when we allow misinformation and lies to parade around as truth. When we anchor our hearts in guilt rather than in God, we let popular opinion sway us and dictate our behavior. When we give sadness all the power, we're pulled under into its murky depths.

Whenever these demons of extreme emotions possess us, we need to turn to God. He can drive out demons now just as easily as Jesus did in His day. When we open our hearts to Him, He performs the miraculous. It's then we can reclaim our voice and use it to speak the truth and praise His name.

Ponder:

Do I give negative emotions permission to steal my voice and make me deaf to the voice of reason within? Have I tried turning to God so He can heal my heart, freeing my ears and my tongue?

Pray:

Miraculous Healer, help me recognize that there are things within me that need constant healing. Inspire me to turn to You always so my ears are kept open to Your voice, my tongue is free to speak the truth, and I'm able to praise Your name.