March 26, 2015 Thursday: 5th Week of Lent B
A Lenten PilgrimageThursday of the Fifth Week
March 26, 2015
The Jewish authorities were prejudiced against Jesus; they even envied Him because of the recognition and affirmation given Him by the people. Their feeling of envy had blinded them to accept and believe the things revealed by our Lord.
This unbelief had led them to judge Jesus falsely and accuse Him of blasphemy because He claimed to be God. Indeed, they went so far as to pick up stones with the intention of murdering Him.
Today’s gospel account reminds me of Jesus’ teaching in Matt 1:7: “Judge not that you be not judged.” At times Christians are the most critical individuals known. Judging others is one of the favorite pastimes of people nowadays, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of criticism is so devastating that it can break the strength of the one being criticized. It even serves to make us harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and thus leaves us with the flattering idea that we are somehow superior to others.
We must always remember that every wrong thing that we see in others has an equivalent in ourselves. Thus, every time we judge, we condemn our own selves. So we have to stop applying a measuring stick to other people; for at least there is one more dimension which we know nothing about in every person’s life situation. (Fr. Romy Benitez, SVD Bible Diary 2002)
