Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen

I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.

We are all unworthy. This is a reality that we sometimes forget in the successes of our lives. We say good things and do good works, and a part of us believes these things make us worthy of God’s forgiveness. However, these things although often signs of grace and expressions of our love are not guarantees of our salvation. We can do all the right things for the wrong reasons. We can say yes to God with a part of our minds, but fail to will it with all our heart. In the end, God gives us forgiveness as a gratuitous gift and it is in our seeking this gift in contrition and accepting it in humility that we find our salvation.

Have we ever felt holier-than-thou towards anyone? If so, how can we make up for this transgression? If not, than how do we remind ourselves of our unworthiness without falling into despair?

O Lord, we are not worthy to receive you into our hearts, but you have said the Word through your Son Jesus Christ and we are made worthy through the healing power of your Love.

Amen.