Let us not make anymore excuses saying we are only human, are frail and prone to making mistakes. Do we say it over and over without ever striving to overcome once and for all, our habitual sins? Have we convinced ourselves that we somehow have two opposing spirits within us?
What we have is one Spirit, that is holy and desires to be ever holy as our Heavenly Father is Holy. We have free will to choose to remain holy and strive for greater holiness. Or we can choose to be self indulgent and dabble with that which is unholy; evil as its source. So what does fire do when stoked? It spreads! Such is the nature of evil which not only spreads like wild fire but it scatters!
We cannot live our lives in duality for we are made to be One with Him, through Him and in Him; our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. So let us consecrate ourselves this day to Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. To glorify our One triune God by our lives now and forever. Amen
First reading
Galatians 5:18-25 ·
To belong to Christ, crucify all self-indulgence
If you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you. When self-indulgence is at work the results are obvious: fornication, gross indecency and sexual irresponsibility; idolatry and sorcery; feuds and wrangling, jealousy, bad temper and quarrels; disagreements, factions, envy; drunkenness, orgies and similar things. I warn you now, as I warned you before: those who behave like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. What the Spirit brings is very different: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control. There can be no law against things like that, of course. You cannot belong to Christ Jesus unless you crucify all self-indulgent passions and desires.
Since the Spirit is our life, let us be directed by the Spirit.
Gospel
Luke 11:42-46
You overlook justice and the love of God
The Lord said to the Pharisees: ‘Alas for you Pharisees! You who pay your tithe of mint and rue and all sorts of garden herbs and overlook justice and the love of God! These you should have practised, without leaving the others undone. Alas for you Pharisees who like taking the seats of honour in the synagogues and being greeted obsequiously in the market squares! Alas for you, because you are like the unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it!
A lawyer then spoke up. ‘Master,’ he said ‘when you speak like this you insult us too.’
‘Alas for you lawyers also,’ he replied ‘because you load on men burdens that are unendurable, burdens that you yourselves do not move a finger to lift.’
CatholicJules.net 