THE DIFFERENCE

Today's readings are a truckload of advice and information that we can all benefit from as Christians. God never falls short of reminding us and teaching us of the things we need to know and do. The truth is we can never say that God failed to do His part. His ways are all perfect, it is in our part that we have to work on and make perfect through His grace. Amen. Hallelujah!

Sirach 5:1-8
1 Rely not on your wealth; say not: “I have the power.” 2 Rely not on your strength in following the desires of your heart. 3 Say not: “Who can prevail against me?” for the LORD will exact the punishment. 4 Say not: “I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?” for the LORD bides his time. 5 Of forgiveness be not overconfident, adding sin upon sin. 6 Say not: “Great is his mercy; my many sins he will forgive.” 7 For mercy and anger alike are with him; upon the wicked alights his wrath. 8 Delay not your conversion to the LORD, put it not off from day to day.

We should never lose hope nor fall into despair. Whenever we sin have, we must not just acknowledge it. The lesson we always have to remember is to have humility to approach Christ as we acknowledge our sins. This should remind us of Peter and Judas, they both sinned and acknowledged it. Peter wept bitterly after denying Jesus 3x while Judas threw away the silver coins that were paid to him. The difference lies in the fact that Peter as the scriptures say, when he wept, looked at Jesus with a heart, humble and contrite, which God would not despise and ran to Mary. While Judas, fell into despair and hanged himself. Thus we remember these things and always run to God with humility and also to Mary, the mother of Christ who will obtain for us true contrition. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6
R: Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
1 Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, 2 but delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night.

In today's gospel Jesus warns us of hell. Let us recall also that it is also written in the scriptures about the fig tree which bears no fruit and was thrown into fire to burn. We have to realize also that in every sin there is pride. Our sins can bring us to hell if left unrepented. We need to live in virtue and strive to bear fruit as a Christian. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 9:41-50

41 Jesus said to his disciples: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. 42 Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe [in me] to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. [44] 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. [46] 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, 48 where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”