Daily Reflection - 18th Sept 2014

by Shirley

As I was reading Aaron's reflections today, he reminded us to read the bible daily. It suddenly dawned on me that I've let this part of my faith journey slide. We used to reflect on the daily readings, and I wondered what happened to mine? Why have I let it slide? So I decided that I will at least attempt to start reflecting on the daily readings again. So you might start getting a barrage of reflections.. :) or not.. :P

1st reading 1 cor 15:1-11: 

This reading is very timely. I've been struggling quite a bit at work with both the volume and urgency of work, and especially the people at work. The work I can handle but I was saddened by the fact that this person who used to be a very good friend has now turned foe, attacking me at work and demoralising me by telling me how poor a leader I am or how poor a job I was doing. I find it very hard to face this person daily now, and I start questioning myself, what kind of a Christian am I when I find it so hard to forgive and face this person?

This line in today's 1st reading particularly spoke to me, "unless you believed in vain". Have I believed in vain? I do believe in God, I believe Jesus died on the cross for all our sins, so if I can't let go of this very human feeling of contempt towards this person, have I believed in vain? What does it mean to be Christlike? Don't I have to live by His word? But it is so difficult...

And then the answer came in the last part of the reading, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me." The answer came to me - I may find it very difficult now to forgive and face this person, but by the grace of God working in me, I will in time. I may think it is impossible now, but God will give me the grace to get through this, and it will not be by my own human endeavours, but by the grace of God.

Gospel, lk 7:36-50: 

Only God has the right to judge and forgive sins, not man. If God forgives even the greatest of sins, what gives us the right to judge another person?