July 12, 2020 Monday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time-A
Isaiah: 1:10-17
Psalm 50
Matthew 10:34—11:1
Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: Isaiah 1:17
Lord, Isaiah doesn’t waste time in getting your message out. In his first chapter he urges us to “get our act together.” Among the misdeeds he writes about is empty sacrifices and rituals. The evil is worship of other gods. The justice he calls for is for us to care for the most vulnerable among us. These lessons should strike me at the heart. He asks for nothing less than true conversion and readjustment of my priorities. How many times have I gone to Mass and went through the motions and overlooked the true miracle of your body, blood, soul and divinity on the altar and given to me in Holy Communion? This does not praise you. How many times have I failed to extend real justice to the unborn, the immigrant, the prisoner, and those of other cultures and races. You gave every drop of your blood so that each of them could be saved. It is so easy to live the values of the world. You point out that if we choose your values we will make waves, suffer, upset our neighbors and even our family. You ask me to give of myself to love the unlovable and the forgotten. I can begin small by offering a cup of cold water. Amen.