Monday, March 21

Sorry this is a little later than the normal morning post! Still a good halfway through the day marker.

Read it:
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

Reflect on it:
Today, we see another challenge to really live as the people Christ intended us to be. We are told to stop condemning, forgive, to be merciful and to give. When we do these, they are given to us in return. The more we forgive, stop condemning and the more we give, the more we actually receive.

Pray about it: Today's prayer is called the prayer of St. Francis. I think it very closely goes along with the Gospel for today. Really pray the words...you world will probably be rocked from doing that.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Live it! Challenge: Today, think about a time in your life when you gave something of yourself and something was given to you because of that selflessness.