The WORD today reminds me that I should have integrity and honor God with my words and actions.

They say to have integrity is to say what you mean, and mean what you say. You cannot just say things and not mean it, or not do it. A person with integrity is someone whose words we can count on. This is what God wants from us.

In the first reading, this us what we see. We see that God wants us to say yes when we mean yes, and no when we mean no. God wants us to honor our word. To be true to our word. Talk is cheap so he wants us to back it up with actions. He wants our words to be consistent with our actions - in our worldly life and our spiritual life.

When we give our word, when we say something, God wants us to mean it, to do our best to keep it, to honor it, and to stick to it. In worldly life this is important, but more so in spiritual life. When we say we love God and we want to follow him, we should be ready to live it. God expects us to live it - that we be willing to die of ourselves and our selfish desires, and allow God to live through us.

We honor God through our words. When we do what we say, and say what we do, we are witnessing for God. Our honesty and integrity would remind people how honest and straight God is. Our being faithful to what we say reminds people that God is faithful. Everything, no matter how simple it may be, if done for God, glorifies and honors God.

What is integrity for me? Do I have it? Do I live it? Do i say yes when i mean yes, and make sure I live up to my word? Or do I always bail out and makes it hard for people to trust in what I say? Do I keep my word to God? How can I improve and concretize integrity in my life?

May we always be true to our word and testify to God's goodness and greatness.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live.Thank you for another weekend coming up. Thank you for another chance to experience your love. Lord i thank you for reminding me how important to you my word is. I am sorry for the times I am not true to my word. sorry for the times I do not keep my word. sorry for the times I tell you I love you, but do not live it. Help me live a life consistent with my words. Help me be true to my word. help me honor you with my words. May the way I honor my word remind people of your love, greatness and honor. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 345

Reading I

Jas 5:9-12

Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another,
that you may not be judged.
Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.
Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters,
the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Indeed we call blessed those who have persevered.
You have heard of the perseverance of Job,
and you have seen the purpose of the Lord,
because the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

But above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear,
either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath,
but let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No,”
that you may not incur condemnation.

Responsorial Psalm

103:1-2, 3-4, 8-9, 11-12

R.        (8a)  The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
            and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
            and forget not all his benefits.
R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
            he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
            he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
            slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
            nor does he keep his wrath forever.
R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
            so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
            so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.

Alleluia

See Jn 17:17b, 17a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 10:1-12

Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan.
Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom,
he again taught them.
The Pharisees approached him and asked,
“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”
They replied,
“Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her.”
But Jesus told them,
“Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate.”
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,
“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery.”

My Simple Reflection

Friday, February 25, 2022

Integrity