Squint Saturday
There is not a commandment against squinting but spiritual squinting is very dangerous. What is it? It is when you take a sideways look at someone and compare yourself to them either by thinking that they are better than you (which expresses itself in envy, jealousy, and despair) or, as in today’s Gospel, by thinking that they are worse than you (expressed by pride, self-satisfaction, and smugness). Both attitudes are damaging so today instead of squinting sideways, look down and see your sins and then look up and see God’s mercy.
Greatest Friday
This may not be the greatest Friday of the year but in a certain sense, it is because we now know what the greatest thing is: Love. If we love God, our neighbors, and ourselves, we will arrive at the Kingdom of God.
Division Thursday
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Jesus wants everything to be in unity. Today we can decide to work with him bringing unity and peace or against him by bringing division and enmity.
Teaching Wednesday
Today our Teacher Jesus teaches us that we should be teachers, too. But it’s very important to know what to teach. We must listen to our Teacher and then teach by our words and our lives.
77 Tuesday
To many of us, numbers are just numbers. We know what we mean when we say seven or 77. But in the Bible, numbers also have meanings. Seven signifies perfection. So if we look at the conversation between Jesus and Peter about forgiveness and translate the numbers that they use, it’s as if Peter said, “How many times do I have to forgive? Perfectly?” And Jesus replied,” Perfectly perfectly perfectly perfectly perfectly perfectly perfectly perfectly perfectly perfectly perfectly!” There is no stinginess in the forgiveness of God and there should be no stinginess in the forgiveness we have for others.
Naaman Monday
Naaman had an idea about what God should do for him and how he should do it. Because of his ideas, he almost did not receive the miraculous healing that God wanted to give him. The villagers also had their ideas about what a prophet of God should be like. Therefore they would not accept Jesus and even tried to kill him. Which of your ideas keep you from receiving what God wants to give you?
Well Sunday
(Because the Gospel of the Woman at the Well could always be chosen on this Sunday, we will remember today as Well Sunday.)
A well is like a human being because there is a mysterious hidden life-giving water in each of us. In some, it is buried very deep but in all of us, it is there waiting until Jesus draws it forth by saying, “Give me a drink.” When we give him a drink by showing him who we are, he gives us a drink in return and fills us so full that we can share this drink with the world.
