Nineteenth Friday in Ordinary Time

You were renowned among the nations for your beauty, perfect as it was, because of my splendor which I had bestowed on you, says the Lord GOD. But you were captivated by your own beauty, you used your renown to make yourself a harlot, and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by, whose own you became. Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl, and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you, that you may remember and be covered with confusion, and that you may be utterly silenced for shame when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.

We must always be on guard against ourselves. Selfishness and pride can lead us astray. They can cause us to misuse our time, talents, and treasures. The can take the beautiful image of God within us and disfigure it with sin and indifference. They can lead to bad habits and worse. Thankfully, God will never give up on us. He will try to bring us back into His good graces whenever we leave the narrow path to Heaven. This is why it is so important to learn to be selfless and humble. These virtues protect us against our darker inclinations and make it possible to resist temptation and be good and faithful children of God.

Are we on guard against our selfish and prideful inclinations? What can we do to protect the image of God within ourselves and live up to the New Covenant? How can we increase in virtue and decrease in vice?

O Lord, we thank you for pardoning all that we have done and failed to do.

Amen.