MERCY IS OUR MIRROR

There will always be people who disappoint us, offend us, or hurt us in ways we never expected. Human relationships are messy and unpredictable. When others show their worst, our natural instinct is to mirror it—to return sarcasm with sarcasm, coldness with coldness, or anger with silence. But Jesus shows us a different way. He didn’t treat people according to their sins, but according to His mercy. That’s what grace does. It calls us not to reflect the brokenness of others, but to reflect the goodness God has planted within us. We are not called to be reactors—we are called to be witnesses. Witnesses to love, to patience, to dignity, and to forgiveness. When someone is rude, unkind, or unjust, that is their choice. But how we respond is our choice. And our response reveals more about who we are than who they are. To treat others as good as we are, not as bad as they may be, is not weakness—it is strength. It is character. It is holiness. And it is Christ-like. So when you are tempted to lash out, take a breath and remember: You are not them. You are better not because you’re superior, but because you choose to live by grace. The world doesn’t need more retaliation—it needs more redemption. The next time someone shows you their worst, show them your best. That’s how hearts are changed—not always theirs, but certainly yours. NB: Let mercy be our mirror. Let us reflect God not bitterness because how we respond says more about me than about them. Inshort, grace over grudge must be a choice we should make every day. Blessings Fr. Jhack

CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL

July 9, 2025 Wednesday within the 14th week in Ordinary Time: Year C Mathew 10:1-7 There is something deeply personal in the way Jesus calls each of the twelve by name. He doesn’t summon a crowd or choose the most influential. He chooses fishermen, tax collectors, ordinary men — broken, flawed, and uncertain. When I reflect on my own vocation, I can’t help but wonder why He chose me too. Like the apostles, I had my fears, my doubts, my hidden wounds. And yet, Jesus did not call me because I was ready. He called me so that I would become ready — in His time, by His grace. Jesus not only calls them; He sends them. He entrusts them with the sacred mission to heal, to cast out demons, to proclaim the nearness of God’s Kingdom. What a terrifying and beautiful task — to become vessels of healing in a hurting world. I think of the times I’ve been sent to hospital beds, confessionals, or lonely parishioners. Often, I didn’t feel powerful. I felt small, exhausted, unsure of what to say. But somehow, through that weakness, grace moved. Healing happened. Not because of me, but because He was with me. This Gospel reminds me that I am not called to be impressive, but faithful. I am not called to succeed by the world’s standards, but to serve with Christ’s heart. Being sent by Jesus is not about status — it’s about surrender. The Kingdom of God is still near, still breaking into this world through the hands and hearts of those willing to go. And so, like the apostles, I rise again today with my name on His lips and His mission in my heart — uncertain, unworthy, but undeniably chosen. Blessings Fr. Jhack