Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Friday, September 13, 2010
Today, in Mercy, Paul, seeing himself as he really is, gives thanks and praise for his unmerited salvation.
Paul says this:
I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man,
but I have been mercifully treated
because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.
Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
God has also granted me the gift of unmerited salvation. You too, my friends. But everybody’s story is a little different. So I thought a bit today about what I might fill in for those bolded words above. (And you can be sure I’m not going to tell you!😂) You might want to do the same in your prayer today.
In our Gospel, Jesus confronts those who think they are, not beneath, but above redemption and salvation. It’s beautiful: he nails the nitpickers who see the flaws in everyone but themselves.
How can you say to your brother,
‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’
when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?
You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.
It’s always been one of my favorite passages. But do you know why? It’s because the beam in my own eye probably has prevented me from seeing that the passage is about me!🥺
Music: Only Takes a Moment – Cory Asbury
Lavish Mercy 
Good one. I so love reading these. Keep them coming xoxo
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Love you, Cynthia!
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This meditation hits ‘the nail on the head’.
Thank you Sr. Rene!
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Thank you, Chris.
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About thirty-nine years ago, I confessed how I verbally attacked my younger brother in the heat of anger. But I felt that I was entitled to explain what prompted me to act so disgracefully. As I proceeded to excuse myself without any thought given to the absolution that I sought, the priest interrupted me by asking, “Are you here to confess your sins or your brother’s sins?” He stunned me into silence. I had learned my lesson.
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