Fifteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.

We can learn a lot from Jesus and the way he deals with those who persecute him. He does not challenge the Pharisees in a confrontational manner. He doesn’t cry out and make a scene. He doesn’t bruise anyone physically or emotionally or get angry with them. Instead, he brings justice, love, and mercy to his followers. He brings hope to the hopeless. In a similar manner, we are called to be meek and humble of heart, not to be pushovers (Jesus certainly wasn’t), but also not to push others. You can’t force faith, hope, or love. We nurture it and cultivate it with patience.

Do we contend with those who persecute us? Or do we act like Jesus? How can we foster within us the patience and mildness we need to act truly Christ-like?

O Lord, help us to bring your justice and hope to the world.

Amen.