Weekly Digest of the Regnum Christi Daily Meditations: Feb 8 – 15, 2026
WEEKLY DIGEST OF rc
DAILY MEDITATIONS
Week of February 8 - February 15, 2026
Sunday, February 8, 2026 – Alive with Christ
Monday, February 9, 2026 – Just a Tassel, Lord
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 – Teach Me Your Ways
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 – Holy Consumption
Thursday, February 12, 2026 – All Are Called
Friday, February 13, 2026 – Increase My Faith
February 8, 2026 – Alive with Christ
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
Opening Prayer: Jesus, teach me what it means to be salt of the earth and light for the world in my daily life.
Encountering Christ:
- Salt of the Earth: Beyond adding flavor, salt has tremendous value. It maintains our health and regulates body fluids, aiding nerve and muscle function. Its preservative and healing value has saved lives as a disinfectant and has been used as a sacramental to purify and repel evil spirits. Salt serves its purpose. However, if used or stored in high quantities it leads to death, as seen from the Dead Sea. The Jordan River gifts the Dead Sea with fresh water, only to be saturated with highly salty waters and trapped because the Dead Sea offers no outlet. Hence, all life dies. Without flavor or in overabundance, salt is worthless. What is the “salt” that Jesus invites us to be? A testimony of the kerygma which flavors, nourishes, and heals. Saint Paul VI in Evangelii Nuntiandi, 27 and Saint John Paul II in Redemptoris Missio, 44 remind us of the importance of proclaiming the initial and essential gospel message: In Jesus Christ salvation is offered to all. How do I proclaim the kerygma? How does my life “salt” the earth?
- Being Light for the World: Isaiah reminded the people of his times that giving to those in need has the power to heal and bring light. “Then your light shall break forth like the dawn” (Isa 58:8). But what are we to give so that our light will shine? Saint Paul shares a clue. “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). Saint Paul preaches the kerygma, salvation won by Christ through his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12). To be a light in this world is to follow a crucified Christ. Nowhere does our light shine more than in the testimony of faith that endures suffering with hope in the final triumph of Our Lord over all evil. How does my light shine out to others in all circumstances of life?
- For God’s Glory: Jesus surprises us. We are scolded if we are proud or vain and yet he says that others must see our good deeds. If our minds and hearts are constantly evangelized by the gospel message our good deeds need not be prideful or vain, but will proclaim the essential truth of God’s saving power. As Saint Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is man fully alive!” Let us be alive with Christ so as to proudly evangelize souls for God’s glory.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, implant in my heart a deep conviction of your saving grace present through faith in you. Let my daily actions incarnate living faith so I may be salt and light for others and you may be glorified by my good deeds.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will reflect on how my thoughts are evangelized by the good news of salvation.
For Further Reflection: Redemptoris Missio 44, by Saint John Paul II, http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_07121990_redemptoris-missio.html.
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi who is dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala.
February 9, 2026 – Just a Tassel, Lord
Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Mark 6:53-56
After making the crossing to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for always being at my side. Teach me to seek you with all my heart.
Encountering Christ:
- Jesus’ Availability: Gennesaret was a tract of land four miles long on the western border of the Sea of Galilee, lying between current day Tabgha and ancient Magdala. Known as the “Paradise of Galilee,” the land was rich soil for farmers to grow walnuts, dates, olives, figs, and grapes. A commercial route likely traversed that area, making it a viable place of trade. It was also a prime fishing area on the Sea of Galilee and likely where Jesus called his first disciples, who were themselves fishermen. Several towns skirted that area, but were still a good walking distance away. The place was bountiful, not just for the material economy, but for the economy of salvation. There, Jesus made himself available to all. Do I believe Jesus is there for me in times of feast or famine?
- The Heart of Supplication: Jesus saw the heart of each one in those days. He also knows the supplications that come from our hearts for ourselves or for loved ones that we lay before Jesus’ feet. When we’re vulnerable before the Lord, who already knows our deepest needs, can we let him decide how to answer our prayers? This takes a surrender that will bear fruit in our souls, perhaps more than receiving a “yes” to the particular petition we request. Supplication implies faith, trust, and loving abandonment, the belief that God always has in mind our ultimate healing—salvation.
- Healing in His Wings: The prophet Micah warns of a day when those who are not upright will be judged to condemnation, and those who fear God will be restored. He says, “For you who fear my name, the sun of justice will arise with healing in its wings” (Mal 3:19-20). In these lines of Scripture, the sun alludes to a divine figure—essentially, Jesus. “Wings” in Hebrew is “kanaph,” meaning the corner of a garment, which on a faithful Jew would be where the tassels hang from their prayer shawl. These tassels consist of strings and knots that represent the Lord’s commandments, to be followed by those who wish to be counted among the righteous. We see the fulfillment of this passage as the people beg “to touch only the tassel on his cloak, and as many as touched it were healed” (Mt 14:36). Jesus, as the new law, makes us righteous through grace. Marvel at the plan of God for his people, for you and me.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you desire to heal me and restore me to total union with you. As I bring before you my own needs and those of my friends and family, help me to trust in your ultimate desire to bring about my total healing, salvation.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will trust that you seek my ultimate good in all circumstances, pleasant or unpleasant. I trust that you are always there for me, working good for those who love you (cf. Rom 8:28).
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi who is dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala.
February 10, 2026 – Teach Me Your Ways
Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin
Mark 7:1-13
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.) So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and Whoever curses father or mother shall die. Yet you say, ‘If someone says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, you see my heart. Form it to be sincere and centered on being faithful to all you desire.
Encountering Christ:
- The Heart of the Matter: We can easily feel the difference of opinion inside and outside of the Church as to matters of practice and discipline. It takes reflection to distinguish what is unshakeable and essential doctrine and what are recommended practices of discipline and tradition. We need prudence and wisdom to get to the heart of the matter. Jesus is criticized for not following the human traditions, the externals that were set in place at one point in time, to set the Jewish people apart from their pagan neighbors. The purpose was to preserve their fidelity to the one true worship of God. In our pious practices we can reflect, “Does this help to center my heart on God, or is it creating Jansenistic-like heart, that places my salvation in the practice alone, to the exclusion of the Lord at the center?”
- The Universal Call: When Jesus challenged the Pharisees, it seems that he opposed the law. But in fact, he helped them to see beyond the human traditions to the true moral intent of the law. The particular practice of kosher laws had become an obstacle for inviting the Gentiles to the table. Peter will discover this in Acts 10 and 11, when he is asked to kill and eat the animals that Jews had been forbidden to eat. God wills all to be saved (cf. 1 Tim 2:4), and Jesus intimated this by entering in and out of the pagan territory beyond Galilee. The Lord calls us all and will try to break down non-essential barriers in our lives to bring more souls into his fold. What barriers do I put up that inhibit people from approaching me so that I can share the Lord with them? Prejudices, negative attitudes, etc.?
- Formation As a Child of the Church: Forming our hearts in true doctrine, so that our actions flow from it, is a journey that requires prayer and the study of God’s revelation, passed on to us through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. The Church, as the universal sacrament, is the extension of Christ’s Incarnation, his presence here on earth. She is also a mother who sets down guidelines for proper moral action grounded in true freedom. To live well the particulars of Church law requires trust in the authority given by Christ to his Church. It also requires assimilating the heart of Christ, so that we strive to love, in the particulars, as he would love, remaining always faithful to the Father.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to grow in my knowledge and love for the teachings of the Church. Grant me true fidelity to your most holy will. Help me to be faithful without putting up boundaries of prejudice toward those who need encouragement to come to you.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will be attentive to my disposition of charity toward those who hold different beliefs and practices than I do. I will also identify an area of the Church teachings that I need to understand better.
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi who is dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala.
February 11, 2026 – Holy Consumption
Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Mark 7:14-23
Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) “But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me discern in my heart what is from you and what needs to be purified.
Encountering Christ:
- Being Called Out: As I place myself within the crowd, I hear Jesus speak those words to me, “Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile” (Mk 7:15). How does it resonate? How might he speak this statement today, when the human heart is aggressively bombarded with anti-Christian cultural undertones? It can be easy to blame the externals, but a culture is made of what comes from the human heart. Jesus is calling me out. He wants me to recognize that what comes from my heart creates the culture around me. Lord, do I add to the culture of consumerism, antagonism, and disrespect; or do I help create a culture of justice, charity, forgiveness, sincerity, trust in God’s Providence, and gratitude?
- Discerning the Heart: My heart is formed by external and internal influences. What forms my heart throughout the day: interactions with people, social media, TV shows, books, decisions for use of time, activities that fill my day? As I reflect on each one, I ask you, Lord, to show me what makes my heart more like yours and what defiles it. This is a difficult examination of the heart that requires a sincere desire for deeper transformation into the man or woman I am called to be. By “wrestling with Jesus” may I discover a renewed invitation to deeper conversion and deeper discipleship.
- Enthroning the Lord Within: The spiritual journey involves both aesthetical and mystical elements. This, simply put, means that the Lord, in his goodness, lets us participate in our own transformation, while always relying on his grace. All practical sacrifices and resolutions that we make are oriented to enthroning the Lord within. By freely choosing to read a good spiritual book over a trashy novel, we make space for the Lord to enthrone himself in our heart. By intentionally making time to go to confession this month, we make space to hear the Lord’s invitations to deeper friendship.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, make my heart your throne where you reign, and guide me in all my actions and decisions today. May my heart be filled with good and holy things that bring others to aspire to the same.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will examine my conscience and prepare for a deep confession of my heart of all that does not come from you or lead to you.
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi who is dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala.
February 12, 2026 – All Are Called
Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Mark 7:24-30
Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, open my eyes to the mystery of your saving love and guide my heart to evangelize for your glory and the salvation of souls.
Encountering Christ:
- The Mystery of God’s Pedagogy: At first glance, Jesus’ refusal is astonishing, but not within the context of God’s pedagogy. In his divine wisdom, God formed a covenant with a select people, setting them apart to testify to the one true God. By them, he would fulfill his universal salvific intention, specifically through his Son, Jesus Christ. Despite the Jews’ privileged mission, faith, not blood, binds people into the Covenant. Ruth, the Moabite, is one example. When her husband died, she left her people to follow her mother-in-law, saying, “Your people shall be my people and your God, my God” (Ruth 1:16). This “gentile woman” eventually married into the line of the Covenant people and became the grandmother of David in Jesus’ ancestry. Aware of this truth, how do I look upon people who seem to be outsiders? Do I believe that God wants to find a way into everyone’s heart?
- Focused Mission: Jesus is one with the Father, in being and in his mission. He told the Apostles, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mt 15:24). Nonetheless, from this core people, Jesus called them to go out to everyone. Before ascending to heaven he commissioned the Apostles to go first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles (cf. Acts 1:8). Saint Paul understood this commission when he says, “It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: for Jew first, and then Greek” (Rom 1:16). Despite this mystery, God never excludes anyone from receiving his grace. The Syrophoenician woman is a testimony of the universal salvation that Jesus offers. In my own mission, I am called to evangelize, while at the same time, to be attentive to “surprises” that come my way.
- Faith-Filled and Humble Supplication: Jesus’ answer does not discourage the woman. Rather, it increases her appeal. Her humble supplication moves him to work the miracle from afar. The Catholic Church is the one, true, holy and apostolic Church, offering her children the fullness of faith. But we must also recognize grace at work outside the visible confines of the Church. In our mission, we may be called to re-evangelize those already among the flock of Catholics, or reach outside the Church’s walls to others who share a similar belief in Christ, or go further to the periphery where non-believers dwell. We ask the Lord for a heart that seeks the eternal good of each and every person.
Conversing with Christ: Show me the way of being a disciple in this world, aware that you can step into the lives of all people no matter how open they are. Help me to recognize your grace present in the world and assist you in bringing people to know, love, and follow you.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will be attentive to ways of bringing your good news to others.
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi who is dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala.
February 13, 2026 – Increase My Faith
Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Mark 7:31-37
Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, increase my faith in your presence and action in the world.
Encountering Christ:
- A Deeper Invitation to Faith: Jesus traveled once again to the Decapolis, to Gentile territory where people had caught wind of his healing power. Faith was alive among the people, and one man begged Jesus to lay his hands on him. Jesus’ love is personal and his action is sincere. He took this man away from the crowd so as not to attract attention. Jesus wants to heal, but he always seeks to offer more than mere physical healing. He wants to help everyone’s faith in him increase. The people of those days believed in the healing property of saliva. When Jesus used saliva, he was communicating that they would all soon be healed. “Be opened!” he said. Behind his command for the man’s ears to be opened was an invitation for the blind man’s heart to be opened to faith in Jesus Christ.
- Recognizing God’s Salvific Action: All healing that the Lord works in our lives, be it physical, emotional, or psychological, is oriented towards the deepest healing—salvation. Can we recognize God’s presence and action in the world? In our own lives? Among our friends and family members? Let’s ask for an increase of faith to recognize God’s salvific action at work in the depths of our hearts by repeating with the psalmist, “Give praise for his mighty deeds, praise him for his great majesty” (Ps 150:2).
- Declare the Works of the Lord: Jesus told the man to keep quiet. Perhaps knowing that his time had not yet come, Jesus did not wish to draw attention to himself. Or he was remaining focused on his mission to the lost sheep of Israel and did not wish to draw the attention of the Gentiles. Whatever the reason, the witnesses did not heed his command. They were astonished. Their sharing of the good deeds Jesus worked among them was a proclamation of the Gospel among the Gentiles. In the words of the psalmist, they were telling “his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his marvelous deeds” (Ps 96:3). It was already foreshadowing Jesus’ words to the Apostles, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come” (Mt 24:14). But would they understand the entirety of the salvific message that Jesus’ healing brings in the context of God’s universal salvific plan? Or would they focus only on the external elements, seeing Jesus as a mere wonder worker? In our own lives, let’s not be short-sighted, missing God’s marvelous works of salvation in the daily circumstances of our lives.
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, I trust in you. Increase my faith and trust that you are present and active through all circumstances in my life. Help me to proclaim the good news that I witness daily, even in the strength of faith when challenges come.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will make an act of trust that your plan is at work in all things.
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi who is dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala.
February 14, 2026 – Feed Me, Lord
Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop
Mark 8:1-10
In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat, Jesus summoned the disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance.” His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?” Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven.” He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd. They also had a few fish. He said the blessing over them and ordered them distributed also. They ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over—seven baskets. There were about four thousand people. He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha.
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant me a deeper desire to encounter you in every circumstance of my life and recognize the gifts you offer me.
Encountering Christ:
- The Heart of Jesus: Once again Jesus was in Gentile territory. He was moved with pity for more than the crowd’s physical needs. Perhaps he saw that they have come a long way—through all of history. He knew how far they had strayed from their belief in the one true God, but where there is longing and an expectant heart, he cannot resist. While he would work a miracle to offer them basic sustenance, it served a far greater purpose. He revealed to them his divine power, as well as the heart of the Father who provides for his children. So it is with us. Hungry for grace, we anticipate encountering Jesus in our day. We may sometimes stray, but Jesus knows our longing and feeds us with the Eucharist.
- Two Responses: We see the difference between the responses of Jesus and his disciples to feeding the hungry crowd. His disciples weighed everything pragmatically. “Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?” Like the disciples, we often have a limited scope of vision that doesn’t see beyond what seems humanly possible. Let’s look at Jesus’ response. He made use of whatever was nearby to meet the needs of the crowd. When we feel that an outcome resulting from our efforts will only be proportional to what we put into it, God makes use of our limited human resources, even our weaknesses and faults, and does something wonderful with it for us and those we love.
- Bread from Heaven: Jesus nourishes and strengthens us through our daily bread. This includes all that comes our way in our day: the will of God manifested in the accomplishment of our daily duty, the fruits of our perseverance in prayer, and in a special and unique way, the Eucharist. His Precious Body and Blood is our food for the journey, where deeper friendship is cultivated with the Lord. We discover in the Eucharist that we are not alone, knowing that our Incarnate God comes to dwell in us in a mysterious but real way. And we receive the Eucharist with many other faith-filled people who are also on a journey. Let’s give thanks to God for the gift of himself and the gift of others who walk the path of faith at our side.
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, I come to you desiring to receive your most precious Body, Blood, soul, and divinity. If I cannot receive you sacramentally, I beg you to come into the poor dwelling that I offer you.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will make spiritual communions to unite myself to you and your Mystical Body, the Church.
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi who is dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala.
February 15, 2026 – Command Me, Lord
Sunday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 5:17-37
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife—unless the marriage is unlawful—causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to embrace your most holy will, confident that what you ask of me is for my ultimate good.
Encountering Christ:
- The Commands of God: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount echoes Exodus 24:15-18, which recounts how God’s glory appeared as a consuming fire on top of Mount Sinai. On the seventh day, the Lord called out to Moses, who ascended, went to the center of the cloud for forty days, and returned with the Ten Commandments. The commandments are like a moral compass, establishing boundaries in accordance with our dignity. But when Moses descended from God’s presence to the valley of the people, he was disappointed to find an unfaithful people. They had fallen into idol worship. How easy it is to fall below the baseline when there is no one to instruct, encourage, or motivate us. How do I perceive the commands of God, of the Church? Do I feel like they are impositions and demands of God? Do I experience any resistance towards Jesus’ words, towards the Church’s teachings? What do I wrestle with?
- The Power of God’s Word: God is not a cruel master who imposes his demands. He seeks our fulfillment as persons created in his image. Therefore, he never leaves us alone and without aid to accomplish his will. Isaiah foretold of the efficacy of God’s Word: “So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me empty, but shall do what pleases me, achieving the end for which I sent it” (Isa 55:11). The Father could see his children struggling, and so he sent his Son, not merely to remind us of the law and the prophets, but to fulfill the law. Jesus is the Word of God. His commands are not external demands made upon us, but a way to fulfill us, to “beautify” us by grace as we fight against selfishness. He allows us to participate in the efficacy of his Word at work within us as we consent with the obedience of faith.
- The Assent: Jesus calls his listeners to live by a higher standard, yet he merely reveals what is already present within us: our internal compass for living as children of God. His commands are like “train tracks” that keep us from derailing into idol worship, the idol of self. Do Our Lord’s commands resonate with me? Do I seek to understand these words of Jesus, particularly through the teaching magisterium of the Church, as the God-given authority to interpret and teach revelation?
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, I desire to assent so as to “ascend” to meet you on that Mount. You call me out of the valley of selfishness to the heights of intimacy by inviting me to be one in mind and heart. Help me to be a faithful son or daughter of the Church.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will recognize a teaching of the Church that I wrestle with or do not understand and resolve to pray and study about it.
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi who is dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala.
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