In today’s Gospel proclamation, the Lord Jesus chastises the pharisees and teachers of the law for being hypocrites, for they did not practice what they preached. The message from our Lord is to first purify our insides, thereby our outside will be purified and visible for all to see. Our primary call as Christians is a call to holiness. The Psalm reminds us that in the end, the Lord comes to judge the earth in righteousness. Are we ready to face the Righteous One and share in His glory as the first reading says? Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Rose of Lima who lived as the Lord intended. Born into a noble family, Rose was drawn to penitential practices and a spiritual life at a young age. She chose strict enclosure and contemplation and withdrew to the seclusion of a hut in the family garden, where she endured a life of severe austerity and asceticism. She regularly practiced fasting, slept only a few hours a night. Let us learn from her example, and give first place to Christ.

Prayer: Abba Father, never let me lose your hand in my walk to holiness. Amen.