Do Justice! Love Goodness!

The word “Lent” actually literally means Springtime, the perfect season for renewal! Here’s Sister Mary’s Week #4 of the “mini-retreat” that will refresh your soul throughout Lent. Here’s a list of all of the weeks’ posts.

By Sister Mary Core, OSB

You have been a grain of wheat, you have stilled yourself, you have trusted God’s grace is sufficient for you. Now trust that God loves you enough to to want you to walk hand-in-hand doing justice and goodness.

Here’s why: “You have been told, O mortal, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you. Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

In this passage, there are no excuses for wrong action. We have been told what is good and what the Lord requires: Do justice, love goodness! How’s that for a simple reminder of how we are to live and act as Christians?

Then, we are given the zinger, the powerful little phrase that shows us how we are to do justice and goodness: “to walk humbly with your God.”

Wow! God invites us to walk “with,” not behind. And “humbly.” Or, “hand-in-hand, aware that Jesus, is your companion.”

This week I encourage you to become aware of the times you sense God – Creator, Jesus, Holy Spirit – walking with you, embracing you, holding your hand and leading you to do justice and love goodness.

I think the words of Micah 6:8 both reflect God’s mercy poured out upon us, as well as how we are to live mercy.

It’s all there in God’s words: ” Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

This passage tells it like it is.

Questions for Reflection …

Does walking with God help to humble you?

What are ways in which you can “Do Justice” this Lent … and every day?

How do you understand and practice “love goodness”?

St. Therese used a string of beads to help her count the number of “good deeds” she did daily.  Can you find a way to “actively and consciously” keep track of doing justice and loving goodness during your day?