Today’s Gospel Text:
"But
to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the
market places and calling to their playmates, 17 'We piped to you, and you did
not dance;
we
wailed, and you did not mourn.' 18 For John came neither eating
nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon'; 19 the Son of man came eating and
drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax
collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds." Matt 11:16-19
Reflection: What
do we say about people? Sorry, in fact,
it should be said the other way “what do we say about ourselves; are we not like what Jesus
draws our attention to concerning the way we judge:
“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a
demon'; the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a
glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' (vss. 18-19)
Both ways people speak and pass remarks or make a judgement and yet logically and humanly speaking they are not wrong.
Hence many
a times we are not aware about our double speak, we have to pass a judgment
both ways, whereas the divine wisdom has a different take altogether.
What
about those who do not pass a judgment? There could be some among us who may
pass a judgment on the basis of their silence at crucial moments when they do
not side with what is right and just or fail in carrying out the just mandate of Christ hiding behind a spiritual or theological veil.
Such is the unavoidable sinful tendencies of the people of this world in whose midst we
live in.
Mother Theresa drawing from the divine wisdom, reveals to us in
her great inspiring moment a wisdom
that is best lived by our union with Christ’s grace and strength;
helped by the divine spirit:
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them
anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of
ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be
honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be
happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may
never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and
God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
Yes,
at the end of the day, it is deeds that count and not the deeds that humans
demand, even as witnesses of Christ, but the deeds that seeks to please God and
thus be his witness and maybe even his instrument of judgment.
Likewise, our
deeds performed in union with him will be their judge.
Prayer: Lord,
without you it is not possible to make a just judgment about life and issues;
help me to live my life in union with you and your wisdom, always seeking to fear you rather than men.
DD = Dedicated
Discipleship: Come grow
in the Lord with us
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