Thursday of week 28 in Ordinary Time
Saint Hedwig, Religious
Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin
Reading: Romans 3:21-30
Saint Paul reminds us that our justification is not earned but freely given through the redemptive sacrifice of Christ. In His Blood, the justice and mercy of God meet perfectly, justice, because sin is not ignored; mercy, because it is forgiven through love. This truth humbles every human pride: no law, effort, or personal merit can replace the grace that flows from the Cross. Faith becomes our response, the open hand that receives what cannot be achieved. Saints Hedwig and Margaret Mary Alacoque lived this mystery profoundly, Hedwig through her charity and detachment from wealth, and Margaret Mary through her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the living symbol of divine mercy. To live in faith is to trust daily in this grace that justifies, sanctifies, and renews. The more we rest in the mercy of Christ, the more our lives reflect His righteousness to the world. Let’s reflect: Do I rely on my own merits, or do I live each day grounded in the grace and mercy that flow from the redeeming love of Christ?
Don Giorgio