Twenty-Eighth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Our faith expresses itself through our acts of love and mercy. If we are not charitable and merciful, then where is our faith? If we follow all the rules of our faith, but don't love, then our actions ring hollow. Our only hope to become humbly righteous and not self-righteously prideful is to remember we must become Christ-like in our every thought, word, and work. Jesus did not do what was good to prove he was holier than us, but because he truly wanted to know, love, and serve his Heavenly Father and all his brothers and sisters. In the same way, we are called to live our lives through the Holy Spirit Christ left behind for us, full of love and mercy.

In what ways are we expressing our faith through acts of love and mercy? How can we become more righteous without becoming prideful? What can we do to live out the spirit of faith working through love?

O Lord, grant us your Spirit so we might become more righteous, loving, and merciful.

Amen.