Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr
Reflection
Today’s first reading from the book of Wisdom admonishes “kings,” “magistrates” and leaders who are in power over the multitudes to be prudent in their decisions and judgements since they too in turn will be judged by the Lord who is the sovereign of the Most High. Wisdom tells us that authority was given to them (us) by God and God will expect decisions and judgements to be made in accordance with his Holy will.
At many points in our lives, we encounter situations wherein we have to make decisions and/or judgments for, or on behalf of, family, friends, or associates. Wisdom points out that such decisions and judgments must be made with care and prudence rather than from a perspective of arrogance and control. It matters not how much authority or responsibility we have over others in our lives. Wisdom encourages us to try in every instance to think as God thinks and to do as God would have us do. In each instance requiring a decision or a judgment, we must set aside our own biases and prejudices and look for the Christ in the person or situation that we encounter. That perspective becomes more challenging with the greater amount of responsibility that we have for the people we encounter.
In his own final judgement of our decisions and judgments, the Lord himself will show no partiality.
Nor will he look away from behaviors exhibiting arrogance, partiality or control. He will judge everyone according to conformance to his Holy will. “The lowly may be pardoned out of mercy but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test”.
This realization presents a challenging responsibility and accountability for each of us, no matter our state of life. No one goes through life without having to make decisions that affect others. In fact, we make decisions and often make judgments that affect others every day of our lives. By our human nature, we are prone to employ our own experiences, biases and prejudices in making such decisions or judgements.
However, Wisdom tells us to pause to consider whether the decisions that we make are those that we would perceive God to make, those that are in accordance with his own will.
Often, such decisions and judgments are in accord with our own will, tainted by our implicit biases. But we are a people of God. We can do better if we put our minds to it.
The reading reminds us that “he himself made the great as well as the small, and he provides for all alike; but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends.” As often as we make decisions or judgements involving others in our lives, so in each of those instances will God make decisions concerning his own final judgement of our treatment of others. Let us pray that God gives us the patience, the Wisdom, and the grace to treat everyone in our lives with the same God-like love that he himself bestows up them and in turn on each of us.
Lord, let us pause more often to reflect on our own behavior towards those we encounter and influence or judge at every turn in our daily lives. Send the Holy Spirit to guide our treatment of others in a fashion that Wisdom admonishes “that we may learn wisdom and that we may not sin.”
May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts!
