Dear friends,

In our daily lives, misunderstandings and conflicts can easily arise within families, friendships, workplaces, and even our faith communities. We may be tempted to talk about someone's faults with others before having the courage to speak to the person directly. We can all take a wrong turning in our lives.

We say or do something that hurts another person. It can be helpful at such times if someone, preferably someone we know and trust, gently points out to us where we have gone wrong. It takes courage to bring a wrong to someone's attention, and it takes humility to recognize that what the person is trying to show us is correct.

Two mothers (the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Monica) and two sons (Jesus and St. Augustine of Hippo) teach us something very important: First and foremost, to live a virtuous life is very important.

The three Cardinal Virtues are: Faith, Hope, and Love. To correct what has gone wrong, love, humility, and Genuine desire are necessary. God does not tell us to ignore wrongdoing, but neither does he encourage us to shame or publicly condemn those who have fallen.

Learning to treat one another with love, patience, and a humble heart when wrongs are done. We are all sinners trying to help one another on the path towards the Lord. We have been justified by faith; we have peace with God through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.

Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance proven character, and proven character hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly. " ... God proves His Love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:1, 4, 5-6, 8).

Jesus would say, 'Where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them'. In prayer we open ourselves up to the Holy Spirit, and it is only in the Spirit of the Lord that we can really support one another in our efforts to live as true disciples of the Lord.

We are called to help one another return to what is right while preserving the dignity of the person. Jesus' Mother, Mary, tells the stewards at the Wedding Feast of Cana, "Do whatever he tells you." And Monica prayed unceasingly for many years for the conversion of her son Augustine. Charitably help another to know and do what is right, like Mother Mary, and pray perseveringly for others like St. Monica.

PRAYER: Lord, give us the humility to receive correction and the courage to offer it in love. Purify our communities from indifference and allow Your glory to dwell among us. Form our hearts to value truth as you do and to seek reconciliation with sincerity. Strengthen us to care for one another in the spirit of your gospel. Amen.

Jesus, I trust in you.
Jesus, I trust in you.
Jesus, I trust in you.

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