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An Eye for an Eye?/ ¿Ojo por ojo?

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When I read about something in the news that makes me angry, I have an overwhelming feeling to respond to the evil. For about a microsecond, though, I sometimes think of repaying evil with evil. And that’s exactly what Jesus advocates against in today’s Gospel.

When Jesus asks how Satan can possibly drive out Satan, he makes the point that divided kingdoms cannot stand. Evil cannot be justified or repaid with evil. “An eye for an eye” will make the whole world blind to beauty, goodness, and truth.

On this day of Prayer for Legal Protection of the Unborn, let us pray to be a people of righteousness. Let us repay evil with goodness and pray that those consumed by evil will come to know the Lord through our example.

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Cuando leo algo en las noticias que me enoja, tengo un sentimiento abrumador de responder al mal. Sin embargo, durante aproximadamente un microsegundo, a veces pienso en devolver mal con mal. Y eso va exactamente en contra de lo que Jesús aboga en el Evangelio de hoy.

Cuando Jesús pregunta cómo es posible que Satanás expulse a Satanás, señala que los reinos divididos no pueden mantenerse. El mal no puede justificarse ni pagarse con otro mal. “Ojo por ojo” hará que el mundo entero se ciegue ante la belleza, la bondad y la verdad.

En este día de Oración por la Protección Legal de los No Nacidos, oremos para ser un pueblo de rectitud. Devolvamos el mal con el bien y oremos para que aquellos consumidos por el mal lleguen a conocer al Señor a través de nuestro buen ejemplo.

Comunicarse con la autora

Mary Thissen is a St. Louis native living in East Central Illinois with her husband and children. She is blessed with twin boys Earthside and four children now living in Heaven. When she is not working as a healthcare data analyst or caring for her boys, she enjoys studying and writing about the Catholic faith and ministering to women who are suffering through miscarriage or infertility. You can connect with Mary on Instagram @waitingonmiracles. 

Feature Image Credit: Christin Noelle, unsplash.com/photos/PodK1s6yMSE

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True Humility / La Humildad Verdadera

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When I think of humility, I always recoil a little, because I automatically think of the worldly definition of humility. I think that’s a normal human reaction, especially when we are immersed in worldly concerns and cares. But in today’s Gospel, we have a perfect example of a truly humble man in John the Baptist.

Humility means to see oneself as he or she truly is in relation to God. John knew exactly who he was in light of Christ- a creature dependent on his Creator, and he tells the priests and Levites as much. He did not state that he was the Christ, but that he was the one who is “the voice of one crying out in the desert, prepare the way of the Lord” (Jn 1:23)

When we know who we are in Christ, we become who we were meant to be. We can accomplish great things for the Kingdom, if only we choose to see ourselves that way and submit to the will of the Father.

Today, let’s pray for the grace to see ourselves as the Lord sees us – beautiful and precious in his sight – and in taking that truth to heart, that we perform the most critical work of all – bringing others to Christ.

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Cuando me pongo a pensar en la humildad, siempre me pongo un poco incómoda porque automáticamente pienso en la definición mundana de la humildad. Creo que es una reacción humana normal, especialmente cuando estamos inmersos en preocupaciones y cuidados mundanos. Pero en el Evangelio de hoy tenemos un ejemplo perfecto de un hombre verdaderamente humilde en Juan el Bautista.

La humildad significa verse a uno mismo como realmente es en relación con Dios. Juan sabía exactamente quién era a la luz de Cristo: una criatura que dependía de su Creador, y así se lo dice a los sacerdotes y levitas. No afirmó que era el Cristo, sino que era “la voz que grita en el desierto: ‘Enderecen el camino del Señor’” (Jn 1,23).

Cuando sabemos quiénes somos en Cristo, nos convertimos en quienes debíamos ser. Podemos lograr grandes cosas para el Reino, si tan solo elegimos vernos así y someternos a la voluntad del Padre.

Hoy, oremos por la gracia de vernos a nosotros mismos como nos ve el Señor –hermosos y preciosos a sus ojos– y, al tomar esa verdad en serio, realizar la obra más crítica de todas: llevar a otros a Cristo.

Comunicarse con la autora

Mary Thissen is a St. Louis native living in East Central Illinois with her husband and children. She is blessed with twin boys Earthside and four children now living in Heaven. When she is not working as a healthcare data analyst or caring for her boys, she enjoys studying and writing about the Catholic faith and ministering to women who are suffering through miscarriage or infertility. You can connect with Mary on Instagram @waitingonmiracles. 

Feature Image Credit: Cristian Gutiérrez, LC, cathopic.com/photo/10009-bautismo-de-jesus