Posted by The WORD in other words (2022) by Fr Fred Mislang SVD – Villa Cristo Rey, Christ the King Seminary, Quezon City
Friday 5th Week of Lent
A high school teacher derided Ernest Hemmingway, “Forget writing. You are not that good.” A college debate coach berated Fulton J. Sheen, “You are the worst speaker I ever heard.” A music teacher made fun of Enrico Caruso, “Your voice sounds like the wind in the shutters.”
The school teacher wanted Ernest Hemmingway to be a carbon copy of himself. The college debate coach wanted Fulton J. Sheen a Xerox copy of himself, too. The music teacher wanted Enrico Caruso to be his likeness. These teachers think and believe that they are perfect in their respective fields. Yes, they make themselves the yardsticks for other’s success or failure.
Our Lord, a victim of rejection himself, was just different. He empathized with people who were weak and weary, people who were helpless and hopeless. “He never broke the bent reed. He never blew out the flickering candle.” (Isaiah 42, 3; Matthew 12, 20) Our Lord was full of kindness, mercy, and love.
Our Lord’s disciples were flawed, as we can see in the Gospels. James and John were outrightly jockeying for positions in God’s kingdom. Peter denied his Lord three times. Still, Jesus carved from Peter the foundation of his Church, even making him head of the Church.
A lesser leader would have rejected such people, but not so with our Lord. Whatever mistakes we made yesterday, Jesus still loves us today. He does not reject us; rather, he accepts and affirms us by loving us totally.
Someone said that life need not be perfect to be wonderful. More fittingly, one does not need to be perfect to be loved by God. God loves us gratuitously and unconditionally. God loves us just the way we are. To be loved by God is God’s initiative; his love comes first, as St Paul says, “God loves us even when we were still sinners.” (Romans 5, 8)
We are loved not because we are perfect, but we try to be perfect in grateful response to God’s infinite love and goodness.
Likewise, our brothers and sisters need not be perfect to be loved. We are to love them just as they are, flaws and all.
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