June 11, 2015

St. Barnabas

Mt 5: 20-26

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.

So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved. http://www.usccb.org/bible/approved-translations

Here I Am

Here I am again, Lord. I will go where you lead me. I am so grateful knowing that you are with me always. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit; help me and guide me as I share the faith that I have in you with others. I want to be a good companion on the journey of faith. I pray that all come to know you and to believe in you as I do, even as I understand and respect that others’ beliefs may be different from my own. I only ask for your love and your saving grace as did Ignatius, the pilgrim, forsaking all worldly goods to follow you. That is sufficient for me. Thank you!

—Kathleen Smolinski has spent her entire working life with the Jesuits, currently as an assistant in the Chicago-Detroit provincial’s office. She is the proud mother of three, grandmother of sixteen, and great-grandma of two.

Prayer

Take, Lord, receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my entire will. All that I have and receive come from you. To you I return them to be used wholly according to your will. Give me only your love and grace for with these I am rich enough and need nothing more.

—St. Ignatius Loyola