Prayer of the Day

Feast of St. Gall, Abbot and Missionary

October 16th, 2015

As Jesus watched the huge crowds waiting to hear him, he warned his disciples against hypocrisy – trying to appear good when one’s heart is far from God.  The Pharisees could not keep their attitudes hidden forever.  Their selfishness would act like yeast and soon they would be seen for what they really were: power-hungry imposters, not devoted religious leaders. It is easy to be angry at the blatant hypocrisy of the Pharisees, but each of us must resist the temptation to settle for the appearance of respectability while our hearts are far from God. Fear of opposition or ridicule can weaken our witness for Christ.

Our true value is God’s estimate of our worth, not that of our peers. Other people evaluate and categorise us according to how we perform, what we achieve and how we look. But God cares for us, as he does for all of his creatures, because we belong to him. So we can face life without fear.