Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. — Psalm 40:5

Mass readings: Jeremiah 17:5-10 / Luke 16:19-31 

The Divine Probe 

A priest once told how, for months following his mother’s death, he nurtured a smoldering resentment, pulling away from God and jeopardizing his vocation. Then, something changed. Unleashing his deep-seated pain, he openly admitted his anger and lashed out at his Maker. Suddenly, during his tirade, an unexpected thought came from nowhere: “Get the box in the closet.” Baffled, the priest obeyed and found his mother’s letters, years of them, crammed inside. The sight of her love compressed in those handwritten pages broke down a wall that was hiding the truth. He wasn’t angry at God; he was angry at himself for not answering most of those letters. Guilt and anguish were eroding his peace; forgiveness restored it. 

Today’s Scripture tells us the Lord alone probes the mind and heart. He alone sets us free. 

Prayer: Lord, probe our minds and hearts and remove everything that divides us from You.