Friday of week 29 in Ordinary Time
Saint Antony Mary Claret, Bishop
Readings: Romans 7:18-25a
Saint Paul’s confession in Romans captures the inner struggle that every believer experiences, the tension between the desire for good and the weakness of human nature. “I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want.” This is not despair but honesty, a profound awareness of our dependence on divine grace. Paul reminds us that our salvation and strength do not come from willpower but from Jesus Christ, who delivers us from the tyranny of sin. When we acknowledge our helplessness, we open the door for grace to act. The battle within us becomes a place of encounter with God’s mercy, not a reason for discouragement. Through Christ, weakness becomes the pathway to transformation; the restless heart finds peace when it surrenders to the Redeemer. Gratitude, not guilt, is the final word: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”. Let’s reflect: When I face my own inner struggles, do I rely on my strength alone, or do I turn to Christ in humility and thanksgiving, trusting His grace to overcome what I cannot?
Don Giorgio