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 cannot 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 Matthew 11:25
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 speaks of the tension in every human soul when he says that the good he wants to do he does not do, but the evil he does not want to do he finds himself doing. This is the tension between good and evil that lies in every human heart. Every one of us can easily relate with the very sincere confession of St Paul. He was very much aware of his sinfulness. As Christians, we need to be sincere before God because He knows us through and through. St John Paul II was aware of his weakness and sought in every way to please the Lord. Making efforts to please God and relying on His grace will help us overcome this tension between good and evil.