Gospel: John
12:44-50
Jesus
cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in
the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into
the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in
darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not
condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the
word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak
on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”
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Reflection:
Are you
sometimes quick to condemn or judge?
Based on
His pronouncements in the gospel for today, patience is a word that we can
always attribute to Jesus. He tells us this: “If anyone hears my words and does
not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world
but to save the world. (John 12:47)” These are profound words that give us hope
no matter how sinful we are and no matter who we are.
Jesus
doesn’t look at our sinfulness no matter how grave it is! For He became man not
to judge us but to save us, if we are very quick to condemn Jesus doesn’t
condemn. If we easily judge our fellowmen based on their appearance Jesus
doesn’t for Jesus always looks at the heart.
Instead
of condemning and judging our fellowmen let us give them hope and let us
forgive them for the bad things that they’ve done to us. No one deserves to be
judged or condemned for the reason that everyone of us is within reach of the
mercy and enlightenment of God.
Let us
therefore reflect and try recalling the many condemnations and judgments that
we undeservingly heaped on our fellowmen. Let us pause for a few seconds and
humbly ask Jesus to forgive our condemning and judgmental minds. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
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