Daily Reflection for Monday, October 04, 2021
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Monday’s readings at this link:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/100421.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Jonah 1:1–2:1-2, 11
Responsorial: Jonah 2:3, 4, 5, 8
Gospel: Luke 10:25-37
Our reflection on Monday’s readings:
He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” Luke 16:27-28.
To inherit eternal life everything within us must love God with all that we are. If I were perfect, I would always be thinking about how to show my love for God. I would be consumed with pleasing him. I am not perfect and don’t expect to be until and if I stand in his presence.
When I look back over my life, I do see a little progress.
When I was young, I used to write short stories. My first published work, “Tender Assassin,” was about a prominent woman who had a romantic encounter with a paid killer. It was published in the now defunct Player’s Magazine for men. That was a big deal to me because the publisher of the magazine called me and talked to me at length. He told me that mine was the longest short story the magazine had ever published and that they had to make special accommodations to get it in. He also told me that he personally thought I could be a successful romance novelist.
Even though I wrote those kinds of stories, I believed my soul was secure. After all, I did the things a Christian was supposed to do. I prayed, I went to church, I was kind. However, I was not loving God with all that I had. Obviously, I was not loving him with my mind since I was using it to glorify things like murder and other illicit behaviors.
Eventually, I was guided into the truth as God promises in John 16:13. Click here to read that promise. I gave up writing entirely until I learned how to write what glorified God.
If you, like me are not perfect, don’t be discouraged. If you have a true desire to love God with all that you are, he will work with you. I believe if you are reading this, God isn’t done with you yet.
Do you think that you might be withholding any part of “all your being” from God? Not sure? Ask him.
I pray the Lord will bless each of you with the peace and comfort of the Holy Spirit.
Melissa Kittrell