July 23, 2018 Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time-B

Micah 6:1-4, 6-8

Psalm 50

Matthew 12:38-42

You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: only to do right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.   Micah 6:8

…to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.  Psalm 50:23

Lord, people used to think that by sacrificing their animals or offering their crops they could please you.  They also believed that by rigorously following every detail of the law that they would be blessed by you and find favor with you.  Today, a lot of us think that going to church on Sunday, putting some money in the basket and sending our kids to Catholic school is enough for salvation.  Lord, your prophet Micah sets us straight in one verse.  You want our hearts and minds and wills.  You want us to be obedient and faithful to you every day.  You urge us to offer our lives to you in service to others.  You lay before us what is good and holy and blessed.  And you invite us to walk with you as our brother along the road to Calvary and then the empty tomb.  What is good, right and holy?  Not sacrificing an animal to you but giving myself to you.  It is turning away from what separates me from you and what leads me into darkness.    Lord, I surrender myself to you.  Pour out your grace upon me and that will be enough.  Amen.