Meditation Minute
“Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.”
Gospel Reading: Luke 6:36-38
Jesus said to his disciples: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."
Last night I got word that my Aunt’s health was failing and she would soon be going own to our Father in Heaven. My Aunt dedicated her life to Christ. She was a Sister of St. Joseph who dedicated her life to helping others. She was a teacher, a spiritual guide and one of the most humble ladies I have ever met. She never judged anyone and always had a positive word to encourage others to do well. She had a special peace about her and her vocation to Christ. When the Sisters were under attached and being persecuted in Guatemala, she went down to comfort them and help them get out of Guatemala safely. She gave of her life in ways that don’t make sense in today’s secular world. She was not paid back in monetary rewards, but in the rewards of love. A love that will now carry her through the gate of heaven. In today’s Gospel reading, we are told how to be merciful “even as your Father is merciful.” We are told that we should not judge or condemn others, but that we should forgive those who trespass against us and give of ourselves if we expect to receive. If we follow this simple rule, Jesus says, “Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.” When I think of this reading, I think of the life my Aunt dedicated to Christ, one of giving, one of prayer and one of poverty. Everything that she gave up for the glory of God will be given back to her in the kingdom of heaven. All the glory we give to others is also given to God and God returns the glory to us in abundance. The model that Jesus presents to us is the exact model of God himself. God is most merciful and loving and we are commanded to be as merciful and loving to others. During lent, we are called to abandon those things which keep us from becoming like Christ. This means abandoning our judgmental ways and to avoid condemning others. Instead, we are called to give of ourselves even to those people we would judge not worthy. Are any of us worthy of God’s love? Yet he pours it out to us anyway. This is the ultimate definition of mercy. We are called to be understanding to those who are in error. The love which God expects from us saves us from error. We are called to reject the error but we are never called to condemn the person who may commit the error. If we condemn the person, he loses his dignity as a person. God alone is our judge and that day is coming. While we are on earth, we are only commanded to give, forgive and love our fellow man – nothing else.
A Simple Prayer
Lord God, you are so kind and merciful.
Help me to set aside my judgment and condemnation.
Help me to forgive my fellow man.
Help me to see past his sins as I too am a sinner.
Yours in Christ
Michael Marcon
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