FIRST READING
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (Romans 7: 18-25a)
“Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
Brethren: I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I can not do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm119:66.68.76.77.93.94(R. 65b)
R/. Teach me your statutes, O Lord.
Teach me good judgement and knowledge,
for I trust in your commands. R/.
You are good, and you do what is good;
teach me your statutes. R/.
Let your merciful love console me
By your promise to your servant. R/.
R/. Teach me your statutes, O Lord.
Show me compassion, that I may live,
for your law is my delight. R/.
I will never forget your precepts,
for with them you give me life. R/.
Save me, I am yours,
for I seek your precepts. R/.
ALLELUIA Matthew11:25
Alleluia. Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke12:54-59)
“You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”
At that time: Jesus said to the multitudes, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. I tell you, you will never get out. Till you have paid the very last copper.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
ST Paul shares the tension within him, he wills to do right but does wrong. Life can be so pressing at times that, even after much commitment to do good, one ends up doing evil. This tension comes as a result of fallen humanity. Man was wounded gravely by sin but still nurtures the wounds of sin. Grace is that which save us from the harassment of sin. In our helplessness, let us remember to cry out to God as Paul did, by seeking help from him through counselling. We have to surrender to God in our weakness and allow him to save us.