Yeah, yeah, I know. April is almost over. But better late than never, right?
The Common Year presents the April theme of Beauty in the Weathered.
The Common Year presents the April theme of Beauty in the Weathered.
I especially like David Rausch's contribution. It has a universal message for us all. Don't judge!
Read the entire contribution HERE.
The message of Jesus to not judge is commonly misunderstood today. The important warning to not accuse in our thoughts and to not put ourselves above others, has morphed in the minds of many to mean we should not acknowledge a right and wrong. This is absurd and must be the subject of another post.
David Rausch has reminded us that the most disagreeable of people, those engaging in the most unbecoming of behavior, are all still loved by God to an infinite degree. Who are we to look down on anyone? We can, of course, object to a person's behavior, but that is entirely different from identifying the behavior with the person, who is a unique and treasured child of God. He has beautiful qualities even if they are not evident. If we can't see the beauty in an individual, it is because we do not know him well enough. We must acknowledge that fact if we are to truly love our neighbor.
It might help to recall in our own lives the stupid, thoughtless things we have said or done. Would we want those times to identify who we are? As Christians we are called to give others the benefit of the doubt. Yes, just as we would like others to give us.
The poor are all around us. Some of them are even wealthy. And the Lord, Jesus, is present in each one. May we never fail to recognize him and give to him the dignity he deserves. Because Jesus is always there in what Mother Theresa has described as "the distressing disguise of the poor."
The message of Jesus to not judge is commonly misunderstood today. The important warning to not accuse in our thoughts and to not put ourselves above others, has morphed in the minds of many to mean we should not acknowledge a right and wrong. This is absurd and must be the subject of another post.
David Rausch has reminded us that the most disagreeable of people, those engaging in the most unbecoming of behavior, are all still loved by God to an infinite degree. Who are we to look down on anyone? We can, of course, object to a person's behavior, but that is entirely different from identifying the behavior with the person, who is a unique and treasured child of God. He has beautiful qualities even if they are not evident. If we can't see the beauty in an individual, it is because we do not know him well enough. We must acknowledge that fact if we are to truly love our neighbor.
It might help to recall in our own lives the stupid, thoughtless things we have said or done. Would we want those times to identify who we are? As Christians we are called to give others the benefit of the doubt. Yes, just as we would like others to give us.
The poor are all around us. Some of them are even wealthy. And the Lord, Jesus, is present in each one. May we never fail to recognize him and give to him the dignity he deserves. Because Jesus is always there in what Mother Theresa has described as "the distressing disguise of the poor."
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