Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12,54-59
Jesus said to the crowds,
“When you see a cloud rising in the west
you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;
and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,
make an effort to settle the matter on the way;
otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,
and the judge hand you over to the constable,
and the constable throw you into prison.
I say to you, you will not be released
until you have paid the last penny.”
Times
1. When you see. It’s important to see what’s happening in your life and not just wait for someone to tell you what’s going on. You might be looking but not seeing; hearing but not listening; or simply hiding in an unreal bubble out of fear of facing the painful realities of your life. Learning to see is a process, because the key is to see without filters, especially filters that you yourself put up.
2. Discern. Learning to see the signs and learning to make decisions is a huge challenge. But that’s life; it’s a constant process of deciding. However, every decision requires careful thought and meditation. Never decide something based solely on emotion or family ties. Decisions first require you to look objectively and then analyze the results of that decision and what the choice you’re making contributes to your life. To discern is to decide, and to decide is to take responsibility.
3. Settle matters. You can’t spend your entire life fighting with everyone. It’s important to have the art of conciliating and negotiating, knowing how far a relationship can be pushed and when it can’t. You can’t always be immersed in strife, and you can’t constantly seek conflict in your life, because that makes you sick and paralyzes you. There will always be some conflict in life; some will be solved naturally, others you will sadly have to let go because they lead nowhere, and others you will simply have to let run their course. The problem is when you constantly live in conflict, because at that point, it defines your life, and that’s no longer a life; it’s just fighting battle after battle. Let’s ask Jesus that you might always know how to discern where to go and where not to go, what to let go of and what not to.
Remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
