Readings
One of the great truths of the spiritual life is
we become what we repeatedly practice.
Habits are not formed in a day,
but over time,
they shape the kind of people
we are becoming.
The generous person
gives almost effortlessly
because generosity
has become a way of life.
The dishonest person
deceives without hesitation
because dishonesty
has become second nature.
Habit makes goodness easier,
but it can make sin easier too.
The same is true in our faith.
Prayer, gratitude, kindness, forgiveness,
and trust in God all grow stronger
when they are practiced.
Yet religion itself can become
a habit in the wrong sense.
The Pharisees kept the Sabbath perfectly,
but failed to see the suffering man
standing before them.
When Jesus asked,
“Is it lawful to heal?”
their silence revealed hearts
more attached to a habit of rules
than to the practice of mercy.
Ask yourself:
What am I practicing?
What am I becoming?
Saint Paul urges us to let our love
increase ever more and more
in knowledge and insight,
learning to discern what truly matters.
When we practice
love, mercy, prayer, and discernment,
we are gradually filled
with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ,
all for the glory and praise of God.
The habits we form today
help prepare us for the day
we stand before Him.
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
teach me to practice
what leads me closer to You.
Form in me habits of
prayer, mercy, generosity, and love.
Give me wisdom to discern
what truly matters in Your sight.
May my life bear the fruit of righteousness
for Your glory and praise. Amen.
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