A Moment To Pause: Friday February 6th 2026 #podcast #prayer

Good morning and thank you for joining our Oblate short time to pause, reflect and pray together on Friday February 6th 2026. Thanks to Caroline Shevelan for today's reflection. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit amen You abandon the commandments of God and hold to human tradition. Today’s Gospel is short, challenging and to the point. The Pharisees are clearly being told they have their priorities wrong, that they are somehow missing the point of the tradition they are holding to. How easy is it to get caught up in obeying the letter of commandments and traditions alike,  and ignore the spirit? How often am I irritated because someone fails to genuflect before the tabernacle, or talks in exposition. In my irritation I am judgemental. There could be a thousand and one reasons why tradition was not adhered to in that moment. Earlier this week Jesus said to us, a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you. What the pharisees were doing was not loving it was point scoring, trying to catch Jesus out, to undermine his authority and credibility. When we are judgemental in guarding our traditions, we fail to account for the commandment given to us by Jesus– to love as we have been loved. We pray for all those who have distanced from their faith, because instead of the welcome of the Father they have found the judgement. We pray for all the times we have been judgemental and failed to love, that we would be offered the chance to make amends. Thank you for joining us today!