As we begin our meditation, let us place ourselves in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Let us ask Him what He desires us to hear in today’s readings.
I invite you to pray the Psalm from today with me: “Teach me your ways, O Lord.”
The first reading starts with a wise warning for our divided world: “Remind people of these things and charge them before God to stop disputing about words.” It invites us into deeper fellowship with one another and into a better way of being fully human. The writer gently reminds us not to wound one another through harshness, criticism, or prideful speech.
Called to Love
As Christians, as beloved children of God, we have received so much through the love of our Father in heaven. From this love, grace, and truth, we are called to help others discover the same goodness in Him.
Yet so often, even those who know the truth can become critical or argumentative over small things. This harms both our witness and God’s call for us to speak truth with charity. Is it pride? A desire to be right? A forgetting of our true path? God does not ask this of us. Instead, He calls us to be peacemakers and sowers of love.
Example
Today’s readings remind us that we are called to set an example in our daily interactions, whether in person or online. Be kind. Be loving. Witness to what is good and beautiful. Every person deserves dignity and respect in the way we speak and act toward them.
In my own prayer and daily life, I am continually reminded that being a peacemaker is not abstract. It is hard; it is lived in the very moments when contradiction or frustration tempts me to respond otherwise. Our Lord is always showing me. He is showing us how to do this, especially when encountering the Pharisees.
Pope Leo, in his recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, reflects on the dignity of being fully human in a world increasingly shaped by efficiency and artificial connection. Though today’s readings speak more directly about our words and relationships, the invitation feels deeply related. Do not lose the human heart God placed within you. We were created for communion, for real encounter, for love rooted in truth and charity. When we speak harshly, argue endlessly, or place winning above understanding, we move away from the very way Christ teaches us to love.
In the Gospel, Jesus gives us the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength,” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This is our call: not to dispute endlessly with one another, but to love one another and immerse ourselves, mind, heart and soul, in the Godhead and all Its goodness and fruits.
Our Lord Himself engaged in difficult conversations, yet always with peace, patience, and truth. Today, let us reflect on how we speak to others. Do our words reflect dignity and kindness? Do we offer necessary correction during conflict with humility and charity? Or in ways that create division and confusion? And, do we prioritize connection and being human, over efficiency and production?
Growing in Holiness
In the Gospel, Jesus says of those who are growing in holiness and drawing deeper into the interior life with Him that they are “not far from the Kingdom of God.” Let us examine our words and actions and ask whether they reflect our call to unity, love, and communion as the people of God.
“Thou in me and I in Thee, in time and in eternity” is an aspiration I learned as a little girl. When I remain in Him and He in me, I begin to love as He loves and live more fully within His will.
As we continue this day together, may we ask the Holy Spirit to gently shape our hearts to reflect Christ more fully. May our words bring peace, our actions bring charity, and our lives draw others closer to Him. And when we fall short, or find ourselves in difficult circumstances, or hurriedness, may we return again to His mercy, allowing Him to “teach us His ways, O Lord.”
