St. Leo the Great, pope and doctor

No-one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the cross. \

No-one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Wisdom of Solomon 1:1-7

Love justice,

You who rule over the world! Think rightly of God, seek him with simplicity of heart,

for he reveals himself to those who do not challenge him and is found by those who do not distrust him.

Crooked thinking distances you from God; and his Omnipotence, put to the test, confounds the foolish.

Wisdom does not enter the wicked nor remain in a body that is enslaved to sin.

 

The Holy Spirit who instructs us shuns deceit; it keeps aloof from foolishness and is ill at ease when injustice is done.

Wisdom is a spirit, a friend to man, and will not leave the blasphemous unpunished,

because God knows his innermost feelings, truly sees his thoughts and hears what he says.

For God's spirit has filled the whole world; and he who holds together all things, knows each word that is spoken.

 

Ps 139:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10

Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Luke 17:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples, "Scandals will necessarily come and cause people to fall; but woe to the one who brings them about.

It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone around his neck.

Truly, this would be better for that person, than to cause one of these little ones to fall.

Listen carefully: if your brother offends you, tell him, and if he is sorry, forgive him.

 

And if he offends you seven times in one day, but seven times he says to you, 'I'm sorry, forgive him."

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." And the Lord said, "If you have faith, even the size of a mustard seed,

you may say to this tree, 'Be uprooted, and plant yourself in the sea!' and it will obey you.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"If we are merciful, God will have mercy on us."

Justice and mercy are to go together in our dealings with others. We are to give what is their due, and in mercy, give more if it is needed.

This is the opposite direction from seeking revenge. Thus, Saint Leo writes, "forego vengeance, forgive offences: exchange severity for gentleness,

indignation for meekness, discord for peace."

Saint Leo exhorts us to a life of virtue which reflects the forgiveness we have received from God and the forgiveness that Christ showed on the cross.

 

In this way we are not simply to conform our lives to Christ through prayer and penance, but also by fasting from that which indulges in pettiness or meanness.

Our hearts are to be enlarged with love, so that we are willing to forgive those who have wronged us, and not just once, but repeatedly, as Christ instructs us.

Saint Leo points to the Beatitudes as the framework for our forgiveness: "Blessed are the merciful; they shall have mercy shown them."

If we seek the pardon and mercy of God, we should be merciful to others, and if we are merciful, God will have mercy on us.