Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them-- every day begin the task anew.
- St. Francis de Sales
(Which one today? And how?)
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ACTS 13:13-25; Psalm89:2-3, 21-22, 25 AND 27
JN 13:16-20
When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send
receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
Reflection on the Scriptures |
Jesus washes the feet of his disciples and, once again, reveals his identity: “From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.”
Jesus also imparts a duty to his disciples. After washing their feet and reminding them that no slave is greater than his master, he tells them, “blessed are you if you do it.” In other words, this profound act of service performed by Jesus must continue through the hands of his disciples. Imitating Jesus, we must continue to serve one another, washing each other’s feet.
In the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, we reflect on the three questions: “What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What ought I do for Christ?”
Past. Present. Future.
As I write this, the coronavirus pandemic is reaching its peak in the United States. The present is full of uncertainty and anxiety. The past (the way things used to be) is becoming a distant memory. Our future is described as the “new normal.” We can only imagine what that future “new normal” will be like. As Christians, we have a duty to bring Christ into this future “new normal.” As Christians, this duty begins
now with service to one another, washing our hands and each other’s feet. As Christians, we recall the graces of the past so we can bring them into the future.
- by John Shea, S.J.
Revelations of Divine Love
- by Julian of Norwich
Sixteenth Revelation, Chapter 74
There is no dread that fully pleaseth God in us but reverent dread.
All dreads other than reverent dread that are proffered to us, though they come under the colour of holiness yet are not so true, and hereby may they be known asunder.—That dread that maketh us hastily to flee from all that is not good and fall into our Lord's breast, as the Child into the Mother's bosom, feebleness and our great need, knowing His everlasting goodness and His blissful love, only seeking to
Him for salvation, cleaving to [Him] with sure trust: that dread that bringeth us with all our intent and with all our mind, knowing our into this working, it is natural, gracious, good and true. And all that is contrary to this, either it is wrong, or it is mingled with wrong. Then is this the remedy, to know them both and refuse the wrong.
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