GOSPEL

“This generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world,from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah”
From the Gospel according to Luke 11:47-54
The Lord said:“Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets whom your fathers killed.Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors,for they killed them and you do the building.Therefore, the wisdom of God said,‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles;some of them they will kill and persecute’in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world,from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who died between the altar and the temple building.Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!Woe to you, scholars of the law!You have taken away the key of knowledge.You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”When Jesus left, the scribes and Phariseesbegan to act with hostility toward himand to interrogate him about many things,for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Tools of the devil

How important it is to stay close to the Lord through prayer so that the Spirit can grant us the gift of knowledge. Through this gift, we discern what is right and wrong and recognize when we start to stray. It helps us to value human matters in the light of God. The devil is very clever and can confuse us, just as he did with the Pharisees, but this gift of the Holy Spirit frees us from those errors and misunderstandings that can lead us astray, and cause us to lead others astray as well.

Applied to married life:

Laura: Lately, I’ve noticed that you’re getting very distracted by looking at new car models. Why are you suddenly so interested? I thought you had gotten over that attachment years ago.

Michael: A couple of weeks ago, you mentioned that our car was getting outdated, and that sparked my interest in looking at what’s available, in case we decided to replace it. But you’re right, it’s capturing too much of my attention, and I’m losing focus on what’s central to my life: God and you.

Laura: A few months ago, the same thing happened to me. While thinking about changing the living room cushions, I got caught up in browsing a ton of décor stuff. Thank God I realized it and put an end to it.

Michael: Yes, thank you. It helped a lot that you pointed it out. God bless you. Honestly, the internet and those algorithms that analyze our behavior—they’re like tools of the devil. They show you what grabs your attention, whether you want it or not.

Laura: We need to be alert in all these things and discern what is truly necessary, so we don’t give undue attention to what doesn’t deserve it.

Mother,

We asked for the gift of knowledge so we don’t stray from the path of Love. Praise the Lord, who is the center of our lives.