Thursday of the Nineteenth Week of Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

There are days when I want to break out of the monastery, thinking, “I want to make a difference in the world, especially with all the violence we see constantly.” But as I said yesterday, I can’t. It is impossible for me to do this, not only because of my monastic vow of stability, but it would not be something the Lord would want me to do.

I am reminded of the great missionary St. Therese of Lisieux, who never once left her monastery to go out on mission. She said, “I feel my mission is soon to begin, to make others love God as I do, to teach others my ‘little way.’ I will spend my Heaven in doing good upon earth.”

We can lead more by example rather than by words. For example, in today’s Gospel, Peter asked the Lord, “If my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” and Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” Seventy-seven times seven! My math skills are not that good, but that is a very large number. In this way, Jesus not only wants us to forgive but also forget and love the person we have harmed.

Is there someone you haven’t talked to in a while who hurt you? Maybe the Lord is telling you to be his instrument and to show humility to forgive the person who has done something wrong to you. Remember humility and that “love covers a multitude of sins.”

Reflection by Br. Maximilian Burkhart, OSB