Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Intention: For migrants and refugees arriving in the communities this District serves, that they be met with welcome rather than suspicion.
Today’s Gospel | Luke 6:6-11
On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up and stand before us.” And he rose and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” Looking around at them all, he then said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.
From the Tenth Meditation for the Time of Retreat | Saint John Baptist de La Salle
You must not be satisfied with keeping the children in your care from doing evil. You must also lead them to practice well all the good of which they are capable. Take care of this, then, and see to it that they always speak the truth, and that when they want to affirm something they limit themselves to saying that it is or is not so.
Prayer
Eternal Father, your Son asked whether it is lawful to do good on the sabbath, and the room went quiet. Take from us the instinct to look for reasons not to act. When someone in front of us needs help, let that be the whole of the question. Restore what has withered in us through disuse or fear. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.