Today’s first reading helps us to see that sometimes we simply need a reminder.
For we can forget what God has done for us. Amid the busyness of life, fatigue, or even success, we can forget how many times God has been patient or helped us. All the times He’s forgiven us and given us another chance.
And, at times, we can become discouraged by our failures and lose sight of God’s grace at work in our lives amidst the struggles.
That’s why St. Paul says today, “I am reminding you of the Gospel I preached to you.”
The Gospel of Salvation
Through the Gospel, Paul brings us back to the very heart of our faith: Christ died for our sins, was buried, was raised from the dead, and appeared to Peter, to the Apostles, and to many others. This is what Paul received and what he handed on… a Gospel of salvation.
And now it has been handed on to us.
Who Taught You to Pray
Think about that for a moment. Someone taught you to pray. Someone brought or invited you to Mass. Someone told you about Jesus. Someone showed you what faith looks like. Maybe it was your parents, a grandparent, a priest, a friend, or someone whose example stayed with you.
We are here today because someone handed on the faith to each of us.
But Paul says something else that is important: “You are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you.”
We all need to hold fast to the Gospel message, because life can shake us. We can and do experience suffering, disappointment, family difficulties, loneliness, or our own failures. In those moments, Paul reminds us: Hold fast to the Gospel. Hold fast to Christ. Remember what you have received.
And then Paul gives us one of the most beautiful statements in all of his writings: “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.” What a testimony…
Like each of us, Paul knew his past. He knew his sins. He knew that he had persecuted the Church. Yet he did not allow his past to have the final word. It was God’s grace that did.
Tears of Humility & Love
We see the effect of that same grace in today’s Gospel. The woman who approaches Jesus knows she is a sinner. She comes with tears, humility, and love. And, Jesus doesn’t turn her away. Instead, He meets her with mercy.
Jesus’ mercy leads to forgiveness, and forgiveness opens the heart to love.
Perhaps that is where some of us need to begin today—by not pretending that everything is fine, but by bringing our failures, our regrets, and our wounds to Jesus.
The woman came to Jesus as she was. Paul came to Christ with his past. And Jesus transformed both of them.
So perhaps today we simply need to be reminded: Christ died for us. Christ is risen. His mercy is greater than our sins. His grace is still at work.
Let us hold fast to that Gospel—and then, like Paul, hand on to others what we have received.
“By the grace of God, we are what we are.”
And by that same grace, God is not finished in helping us to grow in faith, hope, and love, and the holiness we were made to live.
- Today’s Readings
- Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center today. You can watch the entire Mass on the Family Rosary Video streams channel on YouTube.
- Join the Rosary (11:30 am ET) and Mass (Noon ET) livestreams on the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page, Monday – Friday. Invite your friends and family to pray with you as well.
