Friday of the Third Week

Reflection
The first reading of today reminds us how important it is to remember where we come from and who we are to turn to for guidance in our lives. It is easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day and forget our purpose and the plan that our Lord has set in place for us. All too often, we may find ourselves turning to God with guilt of our sins. We may find ourselves asking for forgiveness for straying from the path He has in place for us. The important message in this reading is that God’s compassion is never ending and His love truly does endure forever. He reminds us how beneficial our lives can be with Him by our side when He says, “Straight are the paths of the Lord, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.”

God wishes us to remember creation and how He formed us to be His own. We were made in love and compassion with hopes for a great future. It is challenging to stay on the path because there are so many temptations that bombard our lives each and every day. We must always remember that God understands the world we live in and He understands how prevalent sin exposes itself to us throughout life. We are often hardest on ourselves about the sins we commit. It is encouraging to know that when we repent, God will welcome us back completely and compassionately. It is noteworthy to remember that reconciliation is a beautiful process that can get us back in line with God.

Prayer

God, please let us always remember how easy it is to turn back to You. During times of doubt and fear of the decisions we’ve made, let us always remember the love You’ve poured out for us and the love You will continue to show us all of our days.

 Melissa Morrison, ‘13, Member of the Worshipping Community

Scripture

First Reading: Hosea 14:2-10

Psalm 81:6c-11b, 14, 17

Gospel: Mark 12:28-34

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website