Micah 2:1-5 / Matthew 12:14-21
There is a spiritual exercise that we are encouraged to do everyday and it is called the "Examination of conscience".
Besides being aware of the presence of God in our lives and giving God thanks and praise for His abundant blessings, we also ask for forgiveness for the wrong we have done.
Yet is also also a time to reflect about what are the thoughts in our minds and what we are engrossed with.
In the 1st reading, we get a glimpse of what goes on the minds of people who are steeped in wickedness and evil.
They "plot evil, lie in bed planning mischief, no sooner it is dawn than they do it". Yes their minds are filled with evil thoughts and they commit evil knowingly and and publicly.
They don't think about God, nor would they ever bother about Him. But to these evil doers, God has this to say: Woe to those who plot evil.
In the gospel, we hear yet again of evil doers and it was the Pharisees plotting evil against Jesus and wanting to destroy Him.
Jesus knew what were their thoughts, yet He did not confront them nor counter-attacked them.
As the prophecy of Isaiah puts it: He will not brawl nor shout, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
But that is not all, the prophet Isaiah continues with this: He will not break the crushed reed, nor put out the smouldering wick till he has led the truth to victory.
The truth is that God knows our thoughts and He sees our deeds, be it good or evil.
Let us keep our minds on God always and let us keep thinking of God's goodness to us so that our words and actions will be good.