The Pharisees and scribes were none too fond of Jesus. And probably for good reason; Jesus had very little good to say about them. In our Gospel reading today from Luke 11, Jesus finishes pronouncing “woes” on them. They then began plotting against him. Trust me, the world will do the same to you when you speak the truth. Speak the truth anyway.
In the first reading today from Romans 3, St. Paul talks about faith and works of the law. He asks, “What occasion is there then for boasting?” Though that may seem a rhetorical question, he gives an answer. “It is ruled out.” When it comes to matters of faith, justification and heaven, there is no room for us to boast. At least, not of ourselves. Because, of ourselves, we can do nothing. Apart from the power of God through Christ Jesus, we are nothing.
St. Paul is warning here about getting too cocky about anything good that we do. Sometimes our heads can swell up and we may actually think that it is of our own accord that we are accomplishing things. That would be a fatal error. Faith is a free gift of God, and anything good we do flows from that faith. So, rather than boast of how great we are, let us always remember to give credit where credit is due.
Father, forgive us for those times when we get all big-headed, thinking that we are all that. Help us to remember that all we have and do comes only from You. Amen.
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