To the upright I will show the saving power of God. — Psalm 50:23

Mass Readings: Isaiah 1:10-17 / Matthew 10:34–11:1 

Better at Good 

A line in today’s reading from Isaiah says “cease doing evil; learn to do good.” A six-word job description that’s so hard! Just as St. Paul said: “What I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate” (Rom 7:15). 

Sometimes family members would tease my Grandma Gallagher about her going to confession regularly and often. “Why?” they’d ask. “You didn’t kill anybody, did you?” Now it seems obvious she wanted to get even better at ceasing to do evil and even better at learning to do good. It isn’t that the goal changes or moves. It becomes clearer and more precious as a person becomes better at . . . wanting to become better. 

Prayer: Oh, Dear Lord, help me get better at being good!