Friday of the First Week

Reflection

Today’s readings lead us to the contemplation of justice. In our unsettled world, seeking and making our own peace with God’s sense of justice, and man’s sense of justice can be a challenging task. Ezekiel calls us to live righteously and repent our misguided choices, return to the warmth of God’s love, and strive to live out our days following God’s call. He writes about reconciliation, and this reading provides a guide for restorative justice, something the world is often in need of. The responsorial psalm reminds us that God does not keep score the way humans tend to. Yes, punishment awaits those who persist in their misguided ways, but forgiveness and redemption are the hallmark of God’s scorecard, not retribution. Truly it is never too late to turn to the path of God. Writing for a Jewish Christian audience Matthew has Jesus set a culturally high bar: the scribes and Pharisees were deemed the most holy of people in Jewish society at the time, and Jesus pointedly says that his disciples (representing all of us) must be better than they are. Matthew proceeds to give some practical examples of just how we might start to live this way; it is easier said than done.

Theodore Parker, an American abolitionist, coined the phrase "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. popularized it during his efforts in the civil rights movement. To-day’s readings encourage us to keep up the good work by looking inward and acting for the good of all.

Prayer

Father, these are trying times. Guide me in my faith to follow you, to repent my mis-deeds, and reform my behavior. Help me to find the understanding and humility to aid in bending the arc of the moral universe toward justice each day of my life. Amen.

John Devlin
Professor of Performing Arts, Theatre

Scripture
First Reading: Ezekiel 18:21-28
Psalm 130:1-8
Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website