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.
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