Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.
Today's Gospel: Luke 8:4-15
In my high school days, I had an interesting way of living out my faith. I was a daily Mass-goer and youth group participant, and attended retreats. My parents prayed regularly and were active in several ministries. I felt like I had it all together and my classmates did not.
I remember walking down the hallways, and if I heard someone say a curse word, I would ask them not to swear. I earned the nickname Goody Two-shoes and was called “too holy” and probably a whole lot of other things that weren’t quite as kind.
And while my religious habits may have been good in themselves, my attitude needed an adjustment. Instead of being kind and compassionate, I had turned cold and judgmental in the name of living out my faith.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares the parable of the sower and the seed. I think after hearing it, we often begin analyzing where we are in our spiritual walk and what type of “ground” we are. But often we also begin analyzing others as well. “She is surely on rocky ground, and he is so on thorny ground, and I know I’m on good soil.”
It is so easy to judge others and not so easy to take an honest look at ourselves. Today we celebrate the Feast of Padre Pio, or St. Pius of Pietrelcina. He spent hours and hours every day in the confessional, helping others to transform attitudes and vices to become more like Christ. He was so united with Him that he was one of the few people God granted the gift of the stigmata, the wounds of Christ on his body.
May God grant us the humility to turn to Christ for healing and forgiveness, so that we may love others more and judge them less.
Ponder:
In what ways do I tend to judge others? How can I improve?
Pray:
Lord Jesus, You alone are the judge of our minds and hearts. Please heal me from within so that I may be a witness of Your love to others.
Copyright 2023 Tami Urcia
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