Casting Judgment

"Does our law condemn a man before it first hearts him and finds out what he is doing?"  This is what Nicodemus asked his fellow Pharisee brothers.  They ridiculed him.   Do I judge someone's character before getting to know them?  It is so easy to do so.

The scenario in today's Gospel (Jn. 7:40-53) is that there are people who are beginning to believe that Jesus is "the Prophet" and "the Christ," because they have "heard these words of Jesus."  But in order to see what "these words" were we must rewind a bit in John's gospel.  These are the words that Jesus said: "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: 'Rivers of flowing water will flow from within him'" (Jn. 7:37b-38).  Jesus was promising the sending of the Holy Spirit.  Because the people listen to what Jesus was saying and spent time trying to get to know Him, they came to believe.

In order to get to know someone and their character, we must spend time in conversation and dialogue with them.  It is truly unfair and unjust for us to pass judgment on someone without getting to know them.  We are only cheating ourselves and the other person by doing so.  We may also be closing ourselves off to grace.  

Let us open our hearts to one another and to God.  Who knows, this very person who I may about to dismiss, is actually sent by the Father to deliver to me a very important message, perhaps a message of hope and consolation.  Those who listened to Jesus was promised the Holy Spirit.  Let us pray for the grace of humility and openness. 

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