The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/062617.cfm)
reminds me to look inside ourselves first and not be quick to judge
others.
Bob Marley is one of the more popular
artists in our time. Probably the most popular reggae artist at that. And one
of his quotes is
"Who are
you to judge the life I life?
I'm not perfect
and I don't have to be.
But, before you
start pointing fingers,
make sure
your hands are clean"
Makes sense, right? Similar to
what Jesus said in the gospel.
"Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not
perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you
say to your brother,
‘Let me remove
that splinter from your eye,’
while the
wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite,
remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will
see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”"
It
is easy to see fault in others. It is easy to judge based on what we see and
think. However, God tells us otherwise. Other than we probably do not know
what's happening behind the scenes so we cannot properly understand the reasons
for the action, we are instead asked to focus on ourselves. God wants us to
look inside. God wants us to first change and improve ourselves. We too are imperfect, and sometimes instead of dealing
with our imperfections and sins, we tend to look at others so that we won't
feel so guilty or so bad about ourselves. We put the focus on others
instead of improving ourselves.
God
does not tolerate the imperfections and sins of others, nor of ours. But he
wants us first to improve ourselves, then help and not find fault in others.
May we focus on ourselves and
how we can improve and not look at the imperfections of others.
Father God,
Thank you
for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another week. Thank
you for your love and forgiveness, Lord. I am sorry for the times I am quick to
judge and find fault in others. Sorry for the times i magnify their
imperfections in an attempt to hide my own. Sorry for being too critical and
for judging others. Help me not be quick to find fault in others, but first
look at myself and improve myself so i can be more and more like you. When I
see imperfections, may I help them, not condemn or judge them. Amen.
Blessed
week!
In
Christ,
-g-
June 26, 2017
Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 371
Reading 1GN 12:1-9
"Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk
and from your father's house to a land that I will show you.
"I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you.
All the communities of the earth
shall find blessing in you."
Abram went as the LORD directed him, and Lot went with him.
Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
Abram took his wife, Sarai, his brother's son Lot,
all the possessions that they had accumulated,
and the persons they had acquired in Haran,
and they set out for the land of Canaan.
When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land
as far as the sacred place at Shechem,
by the terebinth of Moreh.
(The Canaanites were then in the land.)
The LORD appeared to Abram and said,
"To your descendants I will give this land."
So Abram built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.
From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel,
pitching his tent with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east.
He built an altar there to the LORD and invoked the LORD by name.
Then Abram journeyed on by stages to the Negeb.
Responsorial PsalmPS 33:12-13, 18-19, 20 AND 22
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down;
he sees all mankind.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
AlleluiaHEB 4:12
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 7:1-5
"Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,'
while the wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter from your brother's eye."
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