June 15, Monday Weekday

The Lord has made known his salvation.--Psalm 98:2

Mass readings: 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 / Matthew 5:38-42

Wide-Open Hearts

I've been up since one o'clock this morning with a sick daughter (the one whose third birthday I wrote about a few days ago). She was throwing up, feverish, cranky and wanted Dad. Being a good father last night was tough. Now it's 7:00 a.m. and my workday, teaching religion to high school students, begins in about an hour. Being a good religion teacher today will mean being sharp-minded, friendly, patient and well-organized. I don't feel like being any of those things.

Living as a Christian in the world today, being the ''ministers of God'' St. Paul speaks of, may not mean facing beatings, imprisonments, or riots. But it surely does mean enduring hardships. It demands patience, knowledge, kindness and true love. It calls, in Paul's words, for wide-open hearts!

Prayer: Father, give me a wide-open heart!