By the accident of the calendar we hear today’s readings on the feast day of St. Thomas More, chancellor of King Henry VIII.
Strong in faith, agile in his lawyerly mind, and ready of wit, Thomas eventually had no choice but “to be the king’s good servant, but God’s first.” Thomas’s letters to his family and his spiritual writings reflect the struggle between power and weakness which Paul describes in today’s first reading.
Jesus’ teaching in the gospel offers a similar challenge to single-mindedness and trust in God’s ways. If I am right with God, nothing on earth can undermine my faith, shrink my hope, or steal my love.
What do my personal faith, hope, and love look like today?
—The Jesuit Prayer Team