Martin Madalai Muthu csc –
Readings: Is 48: 17-19; Mt 11: 16-19
Reading of the day highlights the importance of paying attention to the message rather than judging who the messenger is or how a messenger ought to be. In the first reading Prophet Isaiah clearly states the importance of listening to the instruction of God which brings blessings. Jesus in the gospel highlights the harsh reality of being judged by others. For the people of that time, John the Baptist was deemed to be too radical for his ascetic way of life and Jesus was considered too ordinary. There is a sense of dissatisfaction in the people. Both causes the people to feel uncomfortable and disturbed. So, they reject them out of hand. Many of those to whom Jesus preached found his message too much for them. It was too unexpected, too much of a challenge.
It is applicable for the present generation too. We live in a world influenced by prejudices. We tend to accept and go with the people who are likeminded. We fail to accept others who are different in external appearances. We seem to devalue the useful comments made by some people. We see that if we like someone, we believe everything told by that person. If we do not like any individual, we refuse to listen even if he/she is trying to shield us. There can be failure to acknowledge the context.
Our world today is influenced by prejudices and preconceived notions. We neglect the advice and assistance given freely by the dear and near ones and spend heavily on counselling and psychiatric treatment for tackling certain conflicting situations.
Blessed Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, says that the spirit of God can evoke even the youngest among us to share wisdom and knowledge and so we need to listen to them. Today Jesus invites us to be free of our prejudices and be rooted in and guided by His truth. The Lord desires us to be free. We have our own prejudices. Let us ask the Lord for freedom that opens us more fully to follow him more closely. As we are preparing ourselves to welcome the Lord, let us ask ourselves personally: Am I prejudiced against a person, or a group of people? What prevents me from confronting prejudices?