October 17, 2019 Thursday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time-C ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH, BISHOP, MARTYR

Romans 3:21-30

Psalm 130

Luke 11:47-54

…a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law.  Rom. 3:28

I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in his word.  Ps. 130:5

Lord, when the day comes and I approach your throne in heaven I will stand naked before you awaiting your judgment.  What will I bring to you as evidence of my deserving eternal life?  Will proof of my goodness be my good works?  Will I have a list of all the people I have been generous to in life?  That may not be enough for my salvation.  Or will my faith and trust in your saving grace be better?  Will I be numbered among those who listened to your word and took up my cross to follow you?  Lord, Paul reminds me I am not saved by what I have done but by your underserved grace.  You criticized the scholars of the law because they missed the point.  They relied on following a checklist of works for salvation.  May I rely on giving myself to you each and every day and living like I have been saved.   I am not saved by following rules but by you.   The law is a tool to guide me to holiness.  Lord, I beg for your forgiveness for sometimes thinking I can attain heaven by following rules instead of following you.  Amen.