Our first reading from St. Paul is about not passing judgment upon others. It is like the Lord once said: How can you notice the splinter in your brother's eyes, but don't notice the wooden beam in your own eye. Ultimately, God is the judge, and God will deal with each person accordingly. Basically, Paul reminds us that we are not God, and to let God be God.

The Gospel passage is about the spirit of the law. Although the Scribes and Pharisees observe the law, but they miss the deeper call to love, to be in right relationship, and to be open to God's love and mercy.

The Dominicans have a motto that they would always repeat, and it help guide them in their work and ministry. The motto is Laudere, Benedicere, and Praedicare. In Latin, it means to pray, to bless and to preach. To bless, Benedicere, means to say something good about others, to speak kindly of others. When we are tempted to say something not good, let us ask God to hold our tongue, and to be silent. We can always find something good to say about another person.

Recently we had a funeral for a woman, and her daughters were sharing about their mother. They said that she always looked at each person, and found something positive and good about the person. That is an example of benedicere, blessing someone by saying something kind and good about that person.

How often when we read and see the news, the focus is always something negative about the person, whether it be a religious figure, or a political leader, whether it be a celebrity, and what they did wrong. We don't have to follow in their example. But we can bless by saying something kind and good about another. Let us ask God for the grace for more benedicere in our lives.

St. Hedwig was the Duchess of Silesia and Poland, and was the aunt of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. She and her husband lived a very devout life, and founded many religious communities. She was canonized in 1267, and is patron saint of orphaned children.

St. Margaret Alacoque was a French Visitation Nun and Mystic. After visions of Christ, she felt called to promote devotions to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. She is a patron of polio sufferers, orphans and those devoted to the Most Sacred Heart.