FAITH WITH HUMILITY AND SIMPLICITY
Truth isn't
always easy, but when it is shared with compassion it has the power to
transform lives and truly be Good News!
Today
we remember St. Alphonus Liguori, an Italian priest, bishop and writer. Liguori
is well-known as a scholastic philosopher and theologian. Yet in one of his
writings, he reminds us to "submit our reason to the truths of faith with
the humility and simplicity of a child." Our Saint today was a priest for
and of the people. Speaking with simplicity and kindness, he won the hearts of
many while sharing hard moral realities. St. Alphonsus Liguori always spoke the
truth even in difficult moments. Truth isn't always easy, but when it is shared
with compassion it has the power to transform lives and truly be Good News!
In
today's first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah, we learn that when he preached
he had no idea if all of his work was really going to bear fruit in any one
person. Nor did he even suspect that there would be similarities between that
person and himself. Had he known, perhaps his mission would have seemed easier
and his burden lighter. That one person was, of course, Jesus Christ. Jesus,
like Jeremiah, preached a message of repentance but with little of his
harshness.
We
acclaim in today's Responsorial Psalm, "Lord in Your great love, answer
me" (Ps 69:14c). God's message comes to us in the ordinary way of our
lives. God is at work and present in us and in our simple daily life.
Please
take time to reflect upon this question: Were do you meet God?