RB: Ch 36 Care of the Sick
Mass: Tt 3:1-7; Resp Ps 23; Lk 17:11-19
In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
In today's General Audience, Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the commandments, offering teaching on the eighth commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. The Holy Father broadened perspective by saying that Christians are called to be 'truthful not only in our words but in our entire way of acting toward one another.' We can look to St Paul in his epistle to Titus where he writes how Christians should act toward one another: 'slander no one, be peaceable, considerate, exercising all graciousness toward everyone' (Tt 3:2). Pope Francis continues by talking about gossip, one way of bearing false witness against our neighbor and a way of acting that is entirely opposed to how we should treat others. Put simply, gossiping kills: 'The tongue kills like a knife … it is a terrorist because he or she throws a bomb and leaves.' Surprisingly, or not, after I wrote most of this reflection, we sang Ps 39 at Morning Prayer: I said, 'I will watch my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will set a curb on my mouth.' Merciful and loving God, strengthen us so that we do not throw any gossip bombs; grant us the courage to defuse all gossip bombs.
Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!
(Lk 17:13)
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