A CALL TO DISCERNMENT AND BREAKING THE CYCLE OF INDIFFERENCE (MATTHEW 11:16-19)

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In 10 days’ time, we will be celebrating the “Emmanuel, God with us”! In today’s Gospel, Jesus provides us with an inspiring and thought-provoking passage that helps us better prepare for the coming feast of nativity. In this passage, Jesus uses vivid analogies to highlight the attitudes and perceptions of people during his time. His message challenges us in our capacity and willingness to appreciate situations, understand people, and discern the signs of the times from divine perspective.

Jesus, through his comparison of his generation to children in the marketplace, shows us how fickle and contrary people can be. He underlines the fact that the attitude of never being satisfied and always critical, regardless of the response one receives is akin to childlike behavior. This attitude is evidenced in the people’s reactions to both Johne the Baptist and Jesus himself.  

John the Baptist, the precursor to Jesus, called people to conversion, to prepare the way of the Lord. However, instead of heeding his message, people fixated their attention on his austere lifestyle. John’s life of self-denial and his earnest message were largely unappreciated, impacted the life of very few who received his baptism of conversion. 

In contrast, Jesus embraced our humanity. He accepted invitations from the Pharisees, participated in wedding feast, and presenting himself as the Savior for all, especially those marginalized by the society such as prostitutes, tax-collectors, sinners, lepers, and they criticized him. Despite his inclusive approach and ordinary life, his compassionate and non-judgmental attitude, he too faced criticism.

This analogy from Jesus serves as a call for us to see beyond superficial judgments and societal expectations. It urges us to appreciate the uniqueness of every situation and person, to recognize and acknowledge positive things around us. By so doing, we can avoid the fecklessness and criticism exemplified by the children in the marketplace.

By extending his comparison to the reception of both John the Baptist and himself, Jesus also demonstrates the impossibility of pleasing everyone and the tendency of people to criticize without trying to understand, without experiencing the reality. This dichotomy calls for us to approach each situation and individual with openness and understanding and to be mindful of how easy it is to judge based on expectations or societal norms. Mother Theresa once said that if we spend most of the time criticizing others, we will have no time to love them. 

This message challenges us to rekindle our sense of wonder (which is particularly strong among children) and engagement with our faith and with the world around us, to recognize and appreciate the diverse ways in which God's presence and action can be discerned in everyday life, even in situations that may initially seem mundane or familiar.

So, let us take Jesus' message to heart and strive to be discerning, open-minded, and engaged Christians. Let us not fall into the trap of indifference or cynicism but instead approach each situation and individual with curiosity and empathy. By doing so, we can discover deeper spiritual truths and find new ways to connect with God and the world around us.

https://youtu.be/lVpkC2W49ck.

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