Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection
September 10, 2021
23rd Friday in Ordinary Time, Year 1
1 Tim 1:15-17, Ps 113:1b-2-7, Lk 6:43-49
If I have learned anything in life, it is that I am not perfect. I fail, I am a sinner, and I often need to ask for forgiveness and seek repentance. I really like St Paul’s reading today because he is honest, not only with himself, but with those around him. Paul knew who he was, and knew where he came from, and yet, he became one of the greatest Apostles of all time. How did he do this? Well, he tells us a little bit in the reading. Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
There are three things in there that are so, so important. Grace, how can we even begin to be a disciple of Jesus unless we are offered the grace we need to do so? We cannot do this on our own, we need the grace given to us by our Lord. Faith, that grace given to us helps us to have the faith we need to believe in Jesus. For without grace, our faith would be useless. We would be like the hypocrites Jesus talks about in the Gospel reading. Look at ourselves first and use Paul’s example of knowing who we are, and where we have come from. And then change. Go to Confession and receive that grace we need so we can repent, and submit our will to God’s will, not our own.
Lastly, Love. Without love we are nothing. I’ve talked about this before; Love is the only true thing that really matters. We need to love others regardless of what they do, show them mercy so they, too, can receive that grace from God, repent of their ways, and have the faith they need as well to become a disciple of Christ. But most of all, love yourself, repent of your ways, and know where you came from and where you are going. Then, as Jesus says, you can not only be a follower, but a leader in Christ. A leader to help others know Christ too.
Saint James Catholic Church 