The Unprofitable Servant: Judge Not

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Judge Not

An orthodox Jewish woman I know has two children. "Hannah" as I will call her for the benefit of this post, wears a head-covering in public at all times, strictly observes the Sabbath and identifies from her appearance alone as a devout Orthodox Jew. Hannah has had difficulty conceiving and would like nothing more than to fill her home with as many children as God sees fit to give her. Yet there are busy-bodies who do not know the trials she has suffered who assume she must be using contraception because she only has two kids.

Diane arrives late and leaves early to Mass every single Sunday. This causes some whispers about how she must only show up for Holy Communion so she doesn't have to sit through the entire Mass. What people don't know is that she is caring for a demented relative who cannot be left alone for very long. An elderly neighbor relieves her for a short time on Sundays so she can steal away for a few minutes. She would not feel it was safe leaving for more than this.

Jack doesn't leave the pew to go to Holy Communion . He's a daily communicant but one Monday, he remains kneeling while the rest of us approach the altar. Well, there could only be one reason for this - Jack must be in a state of mortal sin. Otherwise, he'd come forward like the rest of us. One problem with jumping to that assumption - Jack is scheduled for a medical procedure and he's forbidden to take anything by mouth, including the Eucharist.

You get the point.

We are not privy to the personal lives of others, nor should we be if their behavior does not directly affect us in some way. Yet I will be the first to admit I have jumped to conclusions when I have seen any of the scenarios I described above.

My second prayer for myself, after asking the Lord to help me get over myself, is to beg to be freed from the beam in my eye. However, I admit I often don't know what that beam is. I look around feeling inferior many times to others who appear more devout and pious than I do and then somewhere along the course of time, I discover an imperfection on their part, like the friend who never realizes the hurt her curt words cause others or the man who has been living out of wedlock for years with a woman yet still presents himself for Holy Communion.

The bottom line is that nobody's perfect and each of us have our special projects to work on that we don't need to reach across the aisle to try to correct someone else. I wonder how much holier I'd be if I strictly minded my own affairs.

Horses wear blinders because they're supposedly dumb animals who need to have distractions blotted out.

What's my excuse?

5 comments:

AnonymousOctober 16, 2011 at 10:46 AM
great post

God Bless
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AllisonOctober 16, 2011 at 5:26 PM
ditto what Isaac said.
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PatriciaOctober 16, 2011 at 10:45 PM
Joyce, I've been in Hannah's shoes, with no kids for nine years, and then only one after that. Being grilled about "when" you are going to have a baby, when you have been desperately trying for years is heartbreaking.

Yes, we all need to mind our own business, unless we are directly responsible for someone else.

Great post!
Patricia
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TLWOctober 17, 2011 at 7:17 PM
Patricia, I cannot fathom the pain. My sister suffered from infertility and tried everything possible short of adoption. Every time she thinks she has closed that chapter, it opens up again in the most seemingly innocuous ways. It is indeed a very special cross you've been asked to carry. Remember what Therese said about Jesus having to hide His Face when He sees fit to send us some pain. His heart is the first to ache and He has given you the grace to accept your pain with joy. Thank you for sharing.
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PatriciaOctober 17, 2011 at 10:30 PM
Joyce, I am so sorry to hear about your sister. I will pray for her. It is very hard to keep that chapter closed...so many reminders.

Thanks for reminding me of that observation from Therese. I love the way she always puts the focus on Jesus, and directs our hearts toward Him, and away from wallowing in our own sorrow. Such a genius she was, in her "science of love." Love that Therese! : )

Will pray for Rebecca's speedy recovery.
Bless you,
Patricia
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Mary, Queen of Peace

Ever glorious and blessed Mary, Queen of Virgins, Mother of Mercy, hope and comfort of dejected and desolate souls, through that sword of sorrow which pierced thy tender heart whilst thine only Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord, suffered death and ignominy on the cross; through that filial tenderness and pure love He had for thee, grieving in thy grief, whilst from His cross He recommended thee to the care and protection of His beloved disciple, St. John, take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and necessities; have compassion on my anxieties and cares; assist and comfort me in all my infirmities and miseries, of every kind whatsoever. Thou art the Mother of Mercies, the sweet comforter and only refuge of the needy and the orphan, of the desolate and afflicted. Cast, therefore, an eye of pity on a miserable, forlorn child of Eve, and hear my prayer; for since, in just punishment of my sins, I find myself encompassed by a multitude of evils, and oppressed with much anguish of spirit, wither can I fly for more secure shelter, O amiable Mother of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, than under the wings of thy maternal protection? Attend, therefore, I beseech thee, with an ear of pity and compassion, to my humble and earnest request. I ask it, through the bowels of mercy of thy dear Son; Through that love and condescension wherewith He embraced our nature, when, in compliance with the divine Will, thou gavest thy consent, and whom, after the expiration of nine months thou didst bring forth from the chaste enclosure of thy womb, to visit the world, and bless it with His presence. I ask it, through that anguish of mind wherewith thy beloved Son, our dear Saviour, was overwhelmed on the Mount of Olives, when He besought His eternal Father to remove from Him, if possible, the bitter chalice of His future passion. I ask it, through the threefold repetition of His prayers in the garden, whence afterwards, with dolorous steps and mournful tears, thou didst accompany Him to the doleful theatre of His death and sufferings. I ask it, through the welts and bruises of His virginal flesh, occasioned by the cords and whips wherewith He was bound and scourged, when stripped of His seamless garment, for which His executioners afterwards cast lots. I ask it, through the scoffs and ignominies by which He was insulted; the false accusations and unjust sentence by which He was condemned to death, and which He bore with heavenly patience. I ask it, through His bitter tears and bloody sweat; His silence and resignation; His sadness and grief of heart. I ask it, through the blood which trickled from His royal and Sacred Head, when struck with the sceptre of a reed and pierced with His crown of thorns. I ask it, through the excruciating torments He suffered, when His hands and feet were fastened with gross nails to the tree of the cross. I ask it, through His vehement thirst, and bitter potion of vinegar and gall. I ask it, through His dereliction on the cross when He exclaimed, "My God! my God! why hast Thou forsaken me?" I ask it, through His mercy extended to the good thief, and through His recommending His precious soul and spirit into the hands of His eternal Father before He expired, saying, "It is consummated." I ask it, through the blood mixed with water, which issued from His Sacred Side when pierced with a lance, and whence a flood of grace and mercy has flowed to us. I ask it, through His immaculate life, bitter passion and ignominious death on the cross, at which nature itself was thrown into convulsions, by the bursting of rocks, rending of the veil of the Temple, the earthquake, and the darkness of the sun and moon. I ask it, through His descent into hell, where He confronted the Saints of the old law with His presence, and led the captivity captive. I ask it, through His glorious victory over death, when He arose again to life on the third day, and through the joy which His appearance for forty days after gave thee, His blessed Mother, His Apostles, and the rest of His Disciples; when in thine and their presence He miraculously ascended into heaven. I ask it, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, infused into the hearts of His Disciples, when He descended upon them in the form of fiery tongues, and by which they were inspired with zeal in the conversion of the world, when they went to preach the gospel. I ask it, through the awful appearance of thy Son, at the last dreadful day, when He shall come to judge the living and the dead, and the world, by fire. I ask it, through the compassion He bore thee in His life, and the unspeakable joy thou didst feel at thine assumption into heaven, where thou art eternally absorbed in the sweet contemplation of His divine perfections. O glorious and ever blessed Virgin! comfort the heart of thy supplicant, by obtaining for me, (Mention your prayer intention here...) And as I am persuaded my Divine Saviour doth honour thee as His beloved Mother, to whom He refuses nothing, because thou asketh nothing contrary to His honour, so let me speedily experience the efficacy of thy powerful intercession, according to the tenderness of thy maternal affection, and His filial loving heart, who mercifully granteth the requests and complieth with the desires of those that love and fear Him. Wherefore, O most blessed Virgin, beside the object of my present petition, and whatever else I may stand in need of, obtain for me also of thy dear Son, our Lord and our God, a lively faith, firm hope, perfect charity, true contrition of heart, unfeigned tears of compunction, sincere confession, condign satisfaction, abstinence from sin, love of God and my neighbour, contempt of the world, patience to suffer affronts and ignominies, nay, even, if necessary, an opprobrious death itself, for love of thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Obtain likewise for me, O sacred Mother of God, perseverance in good works, performance of good resolutions, mortification of self-will, a pious conversation through life, and, at my last moments, strong and sincere repentance, accompanied by such a lively and attentive presence of mind, as may enable me to receive the last Sacrament of the Church worthily, and die in thy friendship and favour. Lastly, obtain through thy Son, I beseech thee, for the souls of my parents, brethren, relatives and benefactors, both living and dead, life everlasting, from the only Giver of every good and perfect gift, the Lord God Almighty, to Whom be all power now and forever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Bonaventure

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.
Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.
May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God;
may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

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The Unprofitable Servant

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Judge Not

5 comments:

Mary, Queen of Peace

St Michael the Archangel

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

St. Teresa Benedicta of The Cross