Do not grumble, brethren, against one another, that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the doors. As an example of suffering and patience, brethren, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we call those happy who were steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no be no, that you may not fall under condemnation.

Ps 102:1-4, 8-9, 11-12 R./ The Lord is compassion and love.
Jesus came to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again; and again, as his custom was, he taught them. And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away.” But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
We all know that patience and perseverance are the two most important aspects for any successful venture in life. St James in today’s first reading stresses the importance of practising the virtue of patience. In this context we are reminded of the words of St Francis de Sales:“Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself...do not be disheartened by your imperfections, but always rise up with fresh courage.” St James warns us that we should not grumble and fight each other. The Apostle also exhorts us that we should in every way help and encourage each other. Let us be genuine and authentic in our dealing with one another. “We must act toward each other as God would act toward us because he is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in kindness.” Hence let us ask the Lord to grant us the grace to be credible and authentic witnesses of his compassion and forgiving love in this world.