Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

There is a beautiful simplicity to the response of the 75-year-old Abram. God called him, and what did Abram do? “Abram went as the LORD directed him.” We would save ourselves a lot of hardship if we just “went as the Lord directed us.” But, instead, we usually proceed stubbornly with an attitude of ‘I know what is best,’ and we usually find ourselves in a place of frustration and disappointment.

The Gospel makes it clear that one area where the Lord is directing all of us is to let go of criticizing and judging others. It is much easier to notice another person’s fault. Unfortunately, noticing it doesn’t really make me any more virtuous, but it often just makes me focus on it and be frustrated. To let go of the “splinter in my brother’s eye” is to receive a special grace from God. It is a grace of compassion and acceptance. My brother is not perfect, and neither am I. The call is to help one another with our imperfections, not by pointing them out in frustration and then moving on, but by pointing them out from a loving heart, then being willing to walk with that same brother (or sister) as a sign of that love.

Jesus was good at walking with others. He was also good at calling them to change. We are more likely to change and grow if we know that everything is done out of love.

Reflection by Fr. Paul Sheller, OSB