We are a joyful community of disciples proclaiming the Good News and inviting all people to encounter the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.
“For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.”
(Philippians 3:18)
Moved with Emotion
I think I speak for most when I say that St. Paul can sometimes feel rather unrelatable and almost with an air of superiority. Today’s first reading reminds me that he isn’t. In fact, he is moved with compassion and deep love of those around him. He literally says that he’s speaking to them in tears.
He’s recognizing how so many people around him are not following Christ and it disturbs him to the point of tears. Do we let ourselves be moved the same way? So much around us is going against the Lord: people’s decisions, injustices of any kind, the way people speak about the faith, etc. It’s not hard to find an example in the news or those around us these days.
It’s so easy to become numb to the tragedies and pain and anti-Catholic rhetoric swirling around us. St. Paul shows us the attitude we should have: we should care, it should stir sorrow that leads us to prayer. If we truly believe in all that the Church teaches, we would feel sad for those that oppose it.
Do I pray for the people involved in the injustices I encounter? How can I use the feelings of sorrow, anger, etc. for prayer and for the Lord today?
He’s recognizing how so many people around him are not following Christ and it disturbs him to the point of tears. Do we let ourselves be moved the same way? So much around us is going against the Lord: people’s decisions, injustices of any kind, the way people speak about the faith, etc. It’s not hard to find an example in the news or those around us these days.
It’s so easy to become numb to the tragedies and pain and anti-Catholic rhetoric swirling around us. St. Paul shows us the attitude we should have: we should care, it should stir sorrow that leads us to prayer. If we truly believe in all that the Church teaches, we would feel sad for those that oppose it.
Do I pray for the people involved in the injustices I encounter? How can I use the feelings of sorrow, anger, etc. for prayer and for the Lord today?
Lord, you wept for the people who went astray. Help me to avoid numbness and to let my emotions move me to prayer and love of you. Amen.
Reflection by:
Brittany DeHaan grew up in San Antonio, Texas and attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for college. She taught at a small Catholic elementary school in Iowa for one year followed by two years at St. Paul Catholic School in St. Petersburg. She joined the Pastoral Center in 2023 where she works as the Communications Coordinator. She is a parishioner at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lutz. She also enjoys livestreaming GeoGuessr and other video games, sewing, and doing photography in her free time.