A reflection on the daily readings for Wednesday of the 28th Week of Ordinary Time, by Father Perry.
+ What a sad but true statement, and one that we should learn early in life. We are judged by others (and by God) exactly as we judge others. How could it be any other way?
But Paul, noting this undisputable truth, goes far deeper into this reality; he makes the ordinary any time of any day activity of judging become an eternal reality, too.
But, isn’t that also an obvious truth? Doesn’t judging come out of negativity, narrowness and sin?
Doesn’t it flow supernaturally from the ugliness from within? Why the need and desire to judge and condemn?
And Paul further states that the goodness of other ways of thinking and acting (which also bear an eternal kind of effect) — that flow from the desire of seeking goodness, glory, honor and peace — are and bear their own reward.
+ Eternal peace and eternal punishment are much bigger than what we think of as afterlife heaven or hell. It is now! It is always! It is being formed and lived in us now!
We simply must get away from thinking exclusively as a kind of hereafter theology; we are living our heaven or hell now, and Jesus sees it as urgent that we pay attention.
+ No wonder, once again, that he goes after the Pharisees and teachers of the law. He noticed (and judged) their paying tithes for garden herbs but not paying attention to God and to mercy and love.
They lay burdens on others and judged them for what they have done or not done. And while they could help them instead of judge them, they do not.
+ “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”
Oh, mirror, mirror, it’s not just who is the fairest, but the ugliest, but the kindest, and the rudest, and the most hateful and the most loving.
We see, we judge; we award, we condemn.
+ Maybe we should notice, then learn. Maybe we should see, then seek the good, seek the better.
Maybe it is, or can be, more subtle, and we simply enter again into that liminal space of discomfort and awkwardness and even perhaps standing side by side with evil and sin.
But, letting grace in also to lead and guide us to the good.
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
