Scholars of the Law

[BarbaraTherese]

Mea Culpa!!!
The Gospel for the feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch is a sobering one I think and I am noting it for myself above all and hope I will remember it more often than I do…that truth delivered without love is only half the truth. I need to be careful, and I fail in this often, when stating some truth in the aspects of our Faith, our Law as Catholics, that if I lack Charity in stating them etc. then it is only half the truth for I have failed in Charity and love and concern for the other which is the primary Law of Love which is the Law of God Himself - He is Always Loving, Compassionate and Merciful. If I state the truth and the whole truth correctly but do not have a care and concern for the feelings of all others, then I have stated not the whole truth correctly, but only half the truth. For I have failed in the Law of Love.
When posting in these Forums I need remember that I can be about the spiritual works of mercy and attempting to lift the spiritual and moral burdens of others in my posts- and this is a Call of The Gospel.
Our Laws and regulations as Catholics are important, very important - they are not in place for no reason, and that is for sure…but our First and Foremost law is to love my neighbour - and posters on these forums are my neighbours too.

And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law!
You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

Personally, I hate to be put down and to be corrected in a nasty way (and personally for myself I burn inwardly to be wrong even if it is put in a very nice and kind way! - I dont cope well with being wrong! ). I need to remember these things in my posts and treat others as I like to be treated myself, which is in a friendly and kind way, even when I am wrong.

…and if I am wrong then as much as I do really burn inwardly to be wrong, I like to know that I am wrong and be gently informed so.

I personally love and relish being right and seen to be right…and when I think about it in honesty, that is exactly the same as seeking a place of honor.

Woe to you Pharisees!
You love the seat of honor in synagogues
and greetings in marketplaces.
Woe to you!

Lord, please help me in each and every day to treat every single person I come across, no matter how, when, where or why with Loving Charity. Help me to remember with empathy and compassion that all others without exemption have feelings just like me. If I could but remember only that! Grant me please, Lord, one small iota of simplicity and humility in truth and then I will be doing far far better indeed than I now do, and more loving of others, for without your Grace I can do nothing. Amen.

Gospel
Lk 11:42-46

The Lord said:
“Woe to you Pharisees!
You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb,
but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.
These you should have done, without overlooking the others.
Woe to you Pharisees!
You love the seat of honor in synagogues
and greetings in marketplaces.
Woe to you!
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.”

Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply,
“Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.”
And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law!
You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”