Today in the first reading, God is bit upset with the Israelites. So much so that he allows them to be deported to a foreign land, Assyria. The historian tells us that "this came about because the children of israel sinned against the Lord, their God, who had brought them up from Egypt."
What was their sin? They venerated other gods, that is, they failed to keep the commandments. In fact, the Lord warned them by the prophets to "give up their evil ways and keep my commandments."
We forget sometimes what the commandments really are. We often think that they are a bunch of thou shall not statements hindering us from doing what we want. But truth be told, the commandments are actually guiding us to what we should really want.
They are guidelines that are life lines.
The commandments are an invitation for us to be as generous as God is to us. They encourage us to live a life of generosity with always the other in mind. The commandments helps us measure correctly and give boldly.
In the gospel, Jesus tells us "stop judging, that yo may not be judged. For as you judge so shall you be judged, and the measure you give will be measured back to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye but not perceive the wood beam in your own eye. Remove the wooden beam in your own eye then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye."
Does Jesus really mean this?
Just like the commandments are an invitation to a life of generosity. So to the words of Christ are an invitation to a life of generosity, a deeper reality that always has its source of strength in His mercy.
Jesus is not asking us to stop judging completely. We must judge, we must make value statements all along the journey. What He is asking is that we no longer judge according to our standard but we allow the measure of Christ to direct us and guide us. It is his standard by which we judge.
What is that standard, "while we were sinners He died for us."
Jesus is the measureless giver, the one who sets the standard of generosity. We must let his measure determine the measure by which we judge and measure back. Only then do we truly begin to live godly lives of great generosity rooted in greater mercy.
We participate in that generosity every time we say 'amen' and receive the body and blood of Christ.
Let christ measure you then you will begin to see clearly and live boldly a life of generous giving that will transform the world.
Live with the other in mind, measure with the mercy of Christ.
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