Judging is GOD’S Business
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“The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you.” –
Mark 4:24
When we see a person having tantrums or going nuts, it’s easy to jump to conclusions and say that the
person has a bad attitude. But we don’t really know what that person went through to make him or her act
that way. For all we know, he or she just had a horrible and painful experience.
The command of God regarding judging others is very clear. Remember that He alone knows the motives of
one’s heart. Let us always leave room for understanding and give others the benefit of the doubt when they
act in an irrational or irritating way. We always have a choice: to focus on the good side of things or the not-
so-good. Let’s make it a habit to always look for the bright side because “all things work for good for those
who love God.” Jess Santos (jesus_santos_07@yahoo.com)
REFLECTION:
What do you focus on most of the time: the good or the not-so-good? Your honest answer will be your first
step to a stress-free life.
Dear God, teach me to see things the way You want me to see them. Grant me the grace of humility to admit
that I have to change my perspective for Your glory, in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
1st READING
David’s true heritage is established — it is from his bloodline that the Messiah will be descended. There can
be no greater honor than this. David is grateful for this honor and is willing to realize that his work is done
and it will be up to others to establish the Temple . Let us pray for all those in leadership that they will be
willing to hand over the reins of leadership at the appropriate time to the next generation and thus call forth
their gifts of leadership into the service of the community.
2 Samuel 7:18-19, 24-29
18 After Nathan had spoken to King David, the King went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I,
Lord GOD, and who are the members of my house, that you have brought me to this point? 19 Yet even this
you see as too little, Lord GOD; you have also spoken of the house of your servant for a long time to come;
this too you have shown to man, Lord GOD! 24 You have established for yourself your people Israel as yours
forever, and you, LORD, have become their God. 25 And now, LORD God, confirm for all time the prophecy
you have made concerning your servant and his house, and do as you have promised. 26 Your name will be
forever great, when men say, ‘The LORD of hosts is God of Israel,’ and the house of your servant David
stands firm before you. 27 It is you, LORD of hosts, God of Israel, who said in a revelation to your servant, ‘I
will build a house for you.’ Therefore your servant now finds the courage to make this prayer to you. 28 And
now, Lord GOD, you are God and your words are truth; you have made this generous promise to your
servant. 29 Do, then, bless the house of your servant that it may be before you forever; for you, Lord GOD,
have promised, and by your blessing the house of your servant shall be blessed forever.”
P S A L M
Psalm 132:1-2, 3-5, 11, 12, 13-14
R: The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father.
1 LORD, remember, for David all his anxious care. 2 How he swore an oath to the LORD, vowed to the
Mighty One of Jacob. (R) 3 “I will not enter the house where I live in, nor lie on the couch where I sleep; 4 I will
give my eyes no sleep my eyelids no rest, 5 till I find a home for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of
Jacob.” (R) 11 The LORD swore an oath to David a firm promise from which he will not withdraw: “Your own
offspring I will set upon your throne.” (R) 12 “If your sons keep my covenant and the decrees which I shall
teach them, their sons, too, forever shall sit upon your throne.” (R) 13 For the LORD has chosen Zion ; he
prefers her for his dwelling. 14 “ Zion is my resting place forever; in her will I dwell, for I prefer her.” (R)
G O S P E L
St. Thomas Aquinas, whose feast we celebrate today, is sometimes called the Angelic Doctor. His wisdom,
learning and holiness stand as an example of what is possible if we are willing surrender our lives to the
Lord. This is at the heart of the process of becoming a disciple of Jesus. Let us seek to be obedient to God’
s will and follow in the footsteps of Jesus and His saints so we can be examples of Christian living in our
world.
Mark 4:21-25
21 Jesus said to his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and
not to be placed on a lamp-stand? 22 For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is
secret except to come to light. 23 Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” 24 He also told them, “Take
care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be
given to you. 25 To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be
taken away.”
THE AMOUNT YOU MEASURE OUT
I think the texts in the Gospels where Jesus challenges us the most are those where He reminds us of the
eternal consequences of our individual choices. The amount we measure out is the amount we will be given
is a case in point. I think any Christian who does not seriously consider and reflect upon this saying of Jesus
is extremely short-sighted. It is a text that reminds both the importance of generosity (who could outdo God in
generosity) and also the eternal nature of our moral choices.
The Catholic Church teaches us that we have a hand in creating our own character. We can thus know a
person from the choices they make. So it is essential that we consider this when we make choices in our
lives. If I choose to be stingy with my wealth when others appeal to me for help, how will God be generous
with me when I ask Him for the gift of salvation and the forgiveness of my sins? I am not saying that we can
control God through our choices, but through the way we relate with others.
Jesus’ authority and witness is made manifest to us through the choices He makes during His life. It is here
that we have an example of what it means to give our lives in the service of others; in putting the needs of
others before our own needs and desires. The promise of the Scriptures is that God will always be sufficient
for us. The question we have to ask of ourselves is, “Do we believe this to be true?” and if we do, “Are we
willing to stake our lives on this truth?” Our answer will as likely or not determine the depth of our
discipleship and our value as witnesses to the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God here on earth.
Jesus calls us to be generous in giving our lives in the service of the Gospel. He will not force anything on
us, though He can make life pretty uncomfortable at times, until He gets His way. If we know His will, the
simplest response is to be obedient to it. This will save us a lot of heartbreak and struggle.Fr. Steve Tynan,
MGL
Reflection Question:
Am I truly aware of the consequences of my individual actions and how they can have a bearing on my
eternal destiny?
Jesus, help me to make good choices in life; choices that will lay the foundation of a life lived for You and for
Your Kingdom and not something selfish that I lose the gift of eternal life in the process.
St. Cannera, pray for us.
Meditation: Mark 4:21-25
Did you ever play the game of “telephone” when you were growing up? It’s rather simple: The first person
hears a message, which he then passes on to the next, and so on down the line.
Usually the message is fairly complicated, and as it passes from person to person, the details get
confused. Often by the time it makes its way to the last one in line, it’s hardly the same message anymore!
This can be a great game—but it’s also an excellent way to teach children good listening skills.
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is teaching about a different kind of listening. When he says, “take care
what you hear,” he doesn’t mean getting every word he says exactly right (Mark 4:24). Even the writers of the
gospels, as consistent as they were, didn’t tell their stories the same way. What Jesus means is that we
need to hear with our hearts as well as our ears. We hear God’s word every Sunday, year after year, but for it
to bear fruit, we need to receive it on the inside. We need to listen with our hearts!
So how can we improve our listening skills? Like a farmer preparing his fields for planting, our first step is to
clear the ground. We need to get rid of any attachments, attitudes, and distractions that could hinder God’s
word from taking root in us. The next step is a very active one: Once God’s word has found a home in us, we
have to give out what we’ve received. In other words, we’ve got to put feet on our ears!
There’s no question that God wants to do great things in your life. Through his word, he may have inspired
you to evangelize, to serve the poor, to pray for the sick, or simply to love those closest to you. However you
have heard him call you, don’t let it go! Ask him to set you free from anything that might keep you from doing
his will. When you take that first step and respond in faith, you’ll find the next step much easier—and the next!
“Lord, give me ears open to hearing you and a heart willing to serve you. Let your word do its work in me, and
make me always faithful to your inspirations!”
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