It is 16th October 2015. We celebrate the memorials of Sts. Hedwig and Margaret Mary Alacoque. The readings are from Rom.4:1-8 and the Gospel from Lk.12:1-7. The first reading addresses that faith in Jesus makes us to be loved by God not through our personal spiritual merits. We may end up giving importance to the merits of our own and forgetting the benevolence and God’s grace by which we are saved. Paul points out clearly that God must get God’s due for our justification not us. He presents the example of Abraham. What God wants us to be, comes through our faith in Jesus. “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the person whose sin the Lord does not record.” (Rom.4:8). The responsorial Psalm prays, “I turn to you, Lord, You are my refuge, You fill me with the joy of salvation.” (Ps. 31:7). The Gospel reiterates God’s unshakable and unconditional love for us. In order to be respected and honoured unduly by people, we tend to be hypocritical. Jesus attacks such attitude in us. Fear of losing the praises and fame are the causes to be hypocritical. We do not need to be afraid of anything. When we truly love God and people, we can chase fear of being rejected and accepted from us. God cares for us more than anything that God has created. We are the primary attention for God. There is no way God could forget us. “Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.” (Lk.12:7). Let us be a simple child of God before God and people. Let us be cautious about our fear and hypocrisy. May the Lord give you peace.