St. Benedict of Nursia: Exemplary for Those Who Seek Eternal Life in Christ's Kingdom by Way of Holiness

 Do you want to inherit eternal life by way of living a life of holiness? Do you want to stand in front of Christ’s throne in his Kingdom (Revelation 7:9-17)? Then, you can find a great inspiration in Jesus’ words in the Gospel Reading of the Memorial Feast of St. Benedict of Nursia (Matthew 19:27-29) and the life of St. Benedict, as well as, his Rule (Regula Sancti Benedicti).

In fact, the Gospel Reading (Matthew 19:27-29) captures why Benedict chose a monastic life and mastered it, as it is about inheriting eternal life and standing in front of the throne of Christ. To understand this, we need to recognize that Jesus taught on inheriting eternal life and standing in front of his throne in contrast to the rich young man’s inability to detach himself from his earthly wealth. And the way Benedict pursued a monastic life reflects this teaching of Jesus.

A rich young man, who asked Jesus what good deeds to do to have eternal life, decided not to follow and turned away from him, because of he could not liquidate all his assets for the poor, as Jesus asked (Matthew 19:16-22), and Jesus preached how attachment to wealth become an obstacle to salvation and the necessity to keep faith in God in order to overcome hindrances to salvation (Matthew 19:23-26).

Then, Peter said to Jesus:

We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us? (Matthew 19:27)

In reply, Jesus said:

Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. (Matthew 19:28-30).

In the above statement of Jesus, “new age” (v.28) in the original Greek text is παλινγενεσίᾳ(palingenesia), which means “being reborn” or “being renewed”, namely. This rather means being born from above (γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν (gennethe anothen)), namely, born again with the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8; cf. Matthew 3:11). This way, we can overcome obstacles to inherit eternal life, because these arise from our carnal desires (Romans 8:1-17).

To be born again with the Holy Spirit, though we still may be in the flesh, we must detach ourselves from the flesh. Otherwise, we would not be able to overcome obstacles to salvation, resulting from falling to temptation to carnal pleasures and greed for earthly wealth.

At first, Benedict was studying in Rome. But he found that this great city of the world’s greatest empire of that time was plagued with what carnal desires brought, though it was where Pope resided. As St. Augustine of Hippo expressed his concerns for Rome in his De Civitate Dei (The City of God), it was infested with pagan spirit, being far from the City of God. And young Benedict, whose heart was burning with his desire to follow Jesus to his throne in what Augustine described in De Civitate Dei, realized that Rome was not the place for him. So, he left this great city and chose to live in a cave in Subiaco as a hermit. It was where Benedict met St. Romanus of Subiaco, a monk, and Benedict was guided by this experienced monk to learn to live as a hermit for three years.

It seems that his three years of life in the cave contributed to Benedict’s rebirth with the Holy Spirit – to enter into the new age – to be more fitting to hear God’s Word clearly and follow Jesus to his throne in the Kingdom, detaching himself from all worldly matters.

These three years in the cave not only led to a renewal of his life with the Holy Spirit, transforming his life into a life in the Spirit, but also drew some men to Benedict. And this prompted him to come out of the cave and form monastic communities, in each of which has twelve men, as to reflect the twelve disciples of Jesus or the twelve tribes of Israel. These monastic communities were the proto-Benedictine order. As he made sure that all of these monastic community serve as vehicle for monks to be born with the Holy Spirit, to be born again into a life in the Spirit, to inherit eternal life and to be worthy to stand in front of Christ’s throne in his Kingdom, Benedict naturally became the abbot for them. So, the Order of St. Benedict were being formed. Then, as the abbot, Benedict wrote the order for this newly formed monastic community.

Basically, all the rules are for the love of Christ, as striving to live a life in the Spirit also means to live a Christ-centered life. For this reason, those who desire to live a monastic life, as St. Benedict did and as a Benedictine monk, must observe the rule. Anyone who seeks to be born again with the Holy Spirit and life a life free from worldly destructions, for eternal life and the Kingdom of God must adopt the rule to his or her life, even though not living as a monk.

The rule of St. Benedict is not about striving for perfect asceticism just because to be born with the Holy Spirit to overcome the flesh. The rule is about moderation with discipline. To make sure the discipline is maintained, the rule seeks the divine providence, as there is nothing impossible in overcoming any obstacles to seek holiness. And the Benedictine monastic life is not about spending all waking hours of day for prayer. It seeks a fine balance between prayer and work (ora et labora), while the spirit of the rule is humility.

In light of the First Reading of St. Benedict’s memorial feast (Proverbs 2:1-9), the rule is a reference for monks to guard their monastic life with God’s wise counsel against vices of the world. This way, living a life as St. Benedict did, can let seekers of eternal life and Christ’s eternal Kingdom enjoy the goodness and blessing of the Lord, as reflected in these words from the Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34, which was composed by David while he sought a refuge in the cave of Adullam, when Saul was pursuing to kill him:

Gustate et videte, quoniam suavis est Dominus: beatus vir qui sperat in eo…taste and see the sweet goodness of the Lord, blessed is the man who hopes in the Lord  (Psalm 34:9/33:8 in Latin Vulgate).

So, the choice is yours. Do you like to enjoy a life of earthly wealth and power as the rich young man did by forfeiting the inheritance of eternal life from the Lord? Or would you let go of earthly stuff and seek to be born from the above to life a life of holiness, a life of the Spirit, to enjoy the sweet goodness of the Lord and his blessing, leading to eternal life and his Kingdom, as St. Benedict did?

To Whom the Father Reveals His Truth, To Whom the Son Calls to be Yoked with Him: The Anawim – Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

The Gospel Reading of Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Matthew 14:25-30) has two parts: Jesus proclaims, with his full consent and praise, the way the Father reveals and hides His truth shared with him (vv. 25-27) and Jesus invites those who are worthy of revelation of the Father’s truth to work with him as one (vv.28-30).

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After issuing his woes to unrepentant towns (Matthew 11:20-24), Jesus said:

I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will (Matthew 11:25-26).

With the above words, Jesus is making a praising declaration to the Father, for the verb in the original Greek text for “give praise” is “ἐξομολογέω/ exomologeo”, which is composed of ἐξ/ex (out of) and ὁμολογέω/homologeo (I consent, praise, declare), meaning, “I praise”, as well as, “I declare with full agreement”. What he declares in praising the Father is the fact that He has hidden things about His truth from those who are arrogant with their own knowledge but only reveals to those who are humble, namely, anawim, like children. And this is echoes in these words of Jesus, as he is speaking of humility here:

Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me (Matthew 18:3-5).

Now we can see a clear juxtaposition between the fact that the Father reveals things about His truth only to those who are as humble as innocent children, while keeping these from the arrogant, to the fact that only the former are entitled to the Kingdom. In other words, the things hidden from the arrogant but only revealed to the innocent by the Father are about the truth which leads us to the Kingdom. And this is God’s will. Period.

Then, Jesus says about the things on the Father’s truth:

All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him (Matthew 11:27).

These words of Jesus, recorded in Matthew 11:27 (Luke 10:22) are what Mark Goodacre of Duke University calls a “thunderbolt from the Johannine blue sky”, landing in the Matthew’s Gospel text, based on Karl von Hase’s symbolic metaphor of “aerolith”(meteor) from the Johannine sky falling on the Synoptic texts in his 1876 work, “Geschichte Jesu”. And we can certainly see this verse is loaded with Johannine expressions.

Here, Jesus unpacks the things about the Father’s truth. And he declares that these things about the Father’s truth, only revealed to the anawim, have been handed over to him by the Father. So the Father’s truth is what no one knows about the Son, except the Father, as well as, what no one knows about the Father, except the Son.

What is exactly what no one knows about the Son but only the Father knows and what no one knows about the Son but only the Father knows?

Obviously, this is about the consubstantial union between the Father and the Son, as declared in the Nicene Creed, based on these words of Jesus:

The Father and I are one (John 10:30; cf. John 1:1).

As explicated by Jesus himself in these words:

The Father is in me and I am in the Father (John 10:38; cf. 14:20; 17:21).

Namely, the things that the Father keeps from those who are arrogant and proud of their own knowledge but only reveals to the anawim are the Christological truth about the hypostatic Trinitarian union of homoousis. As Bishop Robert Barron puts it, this Christological truth in which the Father relates Himself to the Son and the Son to the Father is the mutual giving-and-receiving relationship. According to Bishop Barron, the Father before all ages gave everything to the Son to give rise to him (i.e. John 5:19-20; 26,17:5). And in return, the Son gives everything back to the Father (i.e. Luke 23:46; 1 Corinthians 15:24, 28). The Holy Spirit is this mutual giving-and-receiving dynamic shared by the Father and the Son, who are one.  This Trinitarian Christological truth is addressed only in John’s Gospel, especially from chapter 1 to 17.

Now, read John 8:12-10:9 and you see what Jesus means by his words in Matthew 11:25-27, and to whom the things about Father’s truth is revealed and who are blind to this truth and why they are unable to see. And those who can see this truth, as revealed by the Father through the Son, who is the Parakletos (1 John 2:1), as well as, the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth (John 14:17; 16:13) and another Parakletos (John 14:16), who teaches everything that the Son has taught (John 14:26), are entitled to the Kingdom (Matthew 18:3-5) and enjoy receiving eternal life from him, who shares it with the Father (John 5:24).

In the second part of the Gospel Reading (Matthew 11:28-30), Jesus says:

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

Here, Jesus is speaking to those who are worthy to have the Father’s truth revealed, namely, anawim, who are humble and open to what the Father reveals through the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus acknowledges that the anawim have been burdened by those who are proud and arrogant with their own knowledges, to whom the Father hides His truth, whose who are blind to this truth. They are taxed by those who have Dunning–Kruger effect but do not even know about this problem of theirs. What they teach and impose is not in line with the Father’s truth that the Son and the Holy Spirit teach. In other words, it is a lie. And who is the first and original liar? The Satan (i.e. Genesis 3:1-7; cf. John 8:44)! These innocent child-like humble people are fatigued by lies made by those who are arrogant but have Dunning-Kruger effect. And Jesus wants to protect such anawim. So he calls them to be yoked with him as one.

Yoke is a device to put at least two animals together to do farm works. In Greek, it is ζυγός/zygos, which has a connotation to make one unit and is related to this Latin word, iungere, which means “to join”. Think of zygote, a single cell formed out of an egg at the moment of sperms entry. This is an exception to this mathematical truth: one plus one equals two. Zygote is the single cell of the perfect union of egg and sperm to bring a new life through cell divisions into blastocyst and into fetus.

As egg calls sperm to be yoked with her to bring a new life to grow its fullness. Jesus the Son invites those who are worthy to have the Father’s truth revealed, knowing that they have been burdened by those whom the Father hides the truth from, to be one with him by sharing his yoke to learn from him. This way, together with Jesus, as we are yoked, united, with him as one, we can work fruitfully toward the Kingdom. His yoke is light because Jesus makes the truth simple and easy for the anawim to understand, while those whom the Father hides the truth from, makes what seems truth to them complicated and misleading. Think of how Jesus has made the things that the Father has easy and clear to understand to those who are humble, clarifying the confusion made by the arrogant, through his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-7:27), for example.

Now, how does Jesus’ teaching on the revelation of the Father’s truth to those whom Jesus calls to be one with in the Gospel Reading (Matthew 11:25-30) is related to the First Reading (Zechariah 9:1-8) and the Second Reading (Romans 8:9,11-13)?

Following series of judgement prophesies against foreign foes of Judah (Zechariah 9:1-8), God calls Zion to rejoice over the coming of the Messiah-King (Zechariah 9:9-13). The First Reading (Zechariah 9:9-10) is drawn from this segment. This describes victorious arrival of the Messiah-King to bring salvation and peace to rule all the earth. But who can see this prophesized truth, fulfilled by Jesus?

Only the anawim, who are humble, whom the Father reveals His truth (Matthew 11:25) and called to be yoked with Jesus to work together with him and learn from him (Matthew 11:28-30) can see that the Messiah-King comes as a lowly man, as symbolized with riding on a donkey. But those whom the Father hides His truth from finds it not only difficult but rather impossible to believe that the Messiah-King would come in such a way. They tend to think that the Messiah-King will arrive in a very militaristic way, like a general riding on a white horse, followed by fully armed chariots. The truth is, as revealed through Jesus’ fulfillment, quite contrary to those who cannot shake off their preoccupation with their own assumption based on their own knowledge about the Messiah-King.

These blind and ignorant, yet arrogant and so pompous with their own knowledge, mocked Jesus as he went through the Passion into his death on the Cross. But to those who were humble and became humble, the Father sure revealed the Christological truth in the crucified Son (i.e. Matthew 27:54//Mark 15:39//Luke 23:47).

The Second Reading (Romans 8:9,11-13) is about what a life in the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (e.g. John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13), those who are in the Holy Spirit are the ones whom the Father reveals His truth, in particular, the Christological truth in His consubstantial relationship with the Son, as its dynamics being characterized with the Holy Spirit, through the Holy Spirit.

"My Lord and My God!": A Journey From "Doubting Thomas" to St. Thomas the Apostle

Have you found yourself getting on your knees and uttering, “My Lord and My God!”? If you have, you must have had a profound epiphanous moment to have encountered Christ.  And it was what St. Thomas the Apostle had in the evening of Sunday after Resurrection Sunday, as the Gospel Reading of the Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle (John 20:24-29) describes.

In the entire Bible, nobody called Jesus God as directly as Thomas did.

The closest one is Peter, who called Jesus “the Messiah, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). But this Christological truth about Jesus was not what Peter realized on his own but revealed to him by the heavenly Father (Matthew 16:17).

Thomas, on the other hand, realized that Jesus was, indeed, God, upon touching directly risen Jesus’ wound mark, as he uttered, “My Lord and my God!”(John 20:28).

This statement shows that Thomas’ faith became irreversibly firm for good. And this made him fitting to receive the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and brought the good tidings of Christ and his Kingdom all the way to the Indian subcontinent through Persia, responding to Jesus’ command, “Go out to all the world and tell the Good News”(Mark 16:15), as the refrain for the Responsorial Psalm (117:1bc, 2), which reflects that people of all nations praise and glorify God, realizing His chesed (mercy and loving kindness) and fidelity endure forever.  They praise and glorify God as they encounter Christ, who is the Son of God (Matthew 16:16) and is, indeed, God (John 20:28; cf. John 1:1), thanks to an apostle, like Thomas. They praise and glorify God with full force as they encounter Christ as Thomas did, upon uttering, “My Lord and my God!”.

As he went on his apostolic mission journey eastward from Jerusalem, Thomas proclaimed, “I have seen the Lord!” and described not only how he followed Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem but also how he had his conviction that Jesus is his Lord and his God, to people he met. And they began to believe in Christ even though they though they had not seen him as Thomas and other disciples did. Nevertheless, Thomas probably have cited what Jesus said to him, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed”(John 20:29).

While Paul built churches as he journeyed westward from Syria through Cilicia, Galatia, Asia Minor, to Macedonia and Achaia, Thomas built churches as he made his eastward apostolic journey to India. It is believed that Thomas first went to Alexandria via Caesarea from Jerusalem. In this cosmopolitan city of Roman Empire, Thomas had a contact with an Indian, and this prompted him to go to India. So, he sailed on the Niles upward from Alexandria to Koptos. Then, he was on a land route from there to Berenice, a city on the coast of the Red Sea. From there, he sailed to Okelis, Aden or Kana, to Bharuch in India through the Read Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea. This was his first journey, and he mainly established churches in northern India.

Returning to Jerusalem from his first mission journey to India, Thomas made his second journey to India via the island of Socorta. This time, he made churches in southern India. Some say that Thomas even reached as far east as China from southern India.

St. Thomas the Apostle sure laid the solid foundation for Christian communities in India. About 1,500 years later, St. Francis Xavier came to India and made the churched established by St. Thomas greater to bring further eastward mission to Japan.

As St. Paul the Apostle describes for the church he established in Ephesus in the First Reading (Ephesians 2:19-22), people whom St. Thomas the Apostle reached out to on his eastward mission to India were no longer wonderer and stranger to Christ because they became the members of God’s household. As Paul did, Thomas made those whom he evangelized conjoined with himself and other Saints as members of God’s household (Ephesians 2:19), as being baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).  This body of the members of God’s household is the Church, and its foundation was laid by the Apostles, like Thomas and Paul, and its capstone is Jesus himself, who holds the entire structure, so that it grows into the sacred Temple in the Lord, as well as, the dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:20-22).

I am sure, many of those who were made into the members of God’s household by St. Thomas the Apostle had a profound personal encounter with Christ, making them utter, “My Lord and My God!”. Perhaps, in their encounters, Christ showed his wound marks, which he still retain not only after his resurrection but also after his ascension, as he did to Thomas on the Sunday after the Resurrection Sunday.

What about you?

You have been made into a member of God’s household through the Sacrament of  Baptism. And you have received the Sacrament of Confirmation, which is to verify that your faith is as solid as the faith of St. Thomas the Apostles, upon touching risen Christ’s wound mark. So, now, the question is, have you had a moment of epiphanous encounter with Christ to have made you utter, “My Lord and My God?”

Perhaps, you may experience bouts of doubts about your belief. Then, you may be just like Thomas when he said to other disciples, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe”(John 20:25). If this becomes the case, you can pray for St. Thomas the Apostle’s intercession so that Christ can help you strengthen your faith. He himself had gone though doubts and skepticism. But his faith became absolutely steadfast, thanks to Christ.

The Cost and the Rewards of the Discipleship for Being on Apostolic Mission: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

This Sunday (Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A), the Gospel Reading (Matthew 10:37-42) is drawn from the end part of Jesus’ instruction to his twelve disciples in commissioning them to go on mission (Matthew 10:5-42), which we read for the last two Sundays (Matthew 9:36-10:8; Matthew 10:26-33).

As he went through all the towns and villages, teaching the Good News of the Kingdom and healing every ailments and maladies, Jesus was deeply moved with compassion as he saw the crowds that looked like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:35-36). This prompted him to give his authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and send them on mission as “labors of a great harvest” (Matthew 9:37-10:5a).

In sending the disciples on mission, Jesus instructed them to proclaim the imminence of the Kingdom of Heaven, to heal the sick, and to raise the dead,  cleanse the lepers, and exorcise, without receiving anything from those whom they serve (Matthew 10:5-9). He also commanded them to search for a person worthy of their visit and offer this person’s household peace for receiving them hospitably but not to waste time with anyone unwelcoming (Matthew 10:10-15).

Then, Jesus issued a brutally honest warning of a risk of being on mission with a metaphor of sheep sent among wolves and commanded them to handle persecutors (wolves) without making the situation complicated by being as innocent as doves and as shrewd as serpents (Matthew 10:16). In regard to the risk of persecution, Jesus called the disciples to stay vigilant against dangerous people, who would hand them over to persecutors (Matthew 10:17-18). But Jesus instructed the disciples not to worry even they were arrested, because the Spirit of the Father, namely the Holy Spirit, would speak through them (Matthew 10:19-20).

Upon addressing the risk of persecution, Jesus described how persecution would result in divisions between those who stand firm with him and those who are against them with his assurance of salvation to the former (Matthew 10:21-22). As he advised to move on from those who reject (Matthew 10:14), Jesus told the disciples to flee from a place of persecution to another, but they would never cover entire Israel on their mission (Matthew 10:23). This means that Jesus warned the disciples that martyrdom was not something for them to pursue by unnecessarily endangering themselves. That is why he advised them to be as peaceful as dove and as wise as serpents in dealing with persecutors (Matthew 10:16b).

Then, Jesus spoke about the humility for being on mission, not to expected to be treated any better as their master, Jesus, was treated (Matthew 10:24). So, he called the disciples to be like him (Matthew 10:25a). Then, with a sarcasm, Jesus pointed out that they would face persecution as their master does, given that he had been accused of being “the prince of demons” (Matthew 9:34), namely, Beelzebub (i.e. Matthew 12:24), as persecutors treat the disciples’ master as Beelzebub (Matthew 10:25b).

Having addressed persecution, Jesus emphasized not to worry three times (Matthew 10:26, 28, 31). First, he said to the disciples not to worry because God’s truth in Jesus and in what they would show on their mission would be revealed completely, vindicating their master, Jesus, and his disciples (Matthew 10:26). So, he commanded them to make what they had learned from him privately be known boldly without fear (Matthew 10:27). Then, he ordered them not to be afraid of persecutor, those who would kill the body but do not kill the soul, but rather fear God, who could kill both the body and the soul by falling from the state of grace and becoming subject to God’s condemnation, which is symbolized with “Gehenna” (Matthew 10:28). Then, Jesus, again said not to be afraid because of God’s providence for the disciples (Matthew 10:29-31).

Then, Jesus said that he would acknowledge those who acknowledged him with primacy over anyone else, accordingly, before the Father (Matthew 10:32-33).

Knowing that not everyone would believe in him and would be able to live a Christ-centered life, Jesus warned that divisions among people would result: splitting those with him and those not with him (Matthew 10:34-36).

The Gospel Reading of Thirteenth Sunday (Matthew 10:37-42) picks up from here to the end of Jesus’ instruction to the disciples in sending them on mission. And this passage addresses what it means to be a true disciple of Christ with two points: the absolute primacy of Christ (vv.37-39) and the rewards for those who receive those who sent by God to serve (vv. 40-42).

The discipleship means to follow Christ and serve as he commands and sends with a firm determination. Thus Jesus makes sure that all of his twelve disciples do not let their earthly concerns disrupt the committed discipleship. For this, Jesus first demands detachment from all things that may compromise commitment. Otherwise, themselves and their families. This is why Jesus demands them to detach themselves not only from their tendency to be concerned about their families (v.37) but even their own earthly lives, saying to take up one’s cross (v.38). And he assures the reward of eternal life for those who carry their crosses faithfully (v.39).

The cost-reward motif in vv. 37-39 is also reflected in the following verses (vv.40-42). And this is reflected also in the First Reading (2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a) and the previous passage of Jesus’ instruction (Matthew 10:13-15, 32-33). Jesus

Jesus wants to make sure that his disciples have clear understanding of what it really means to be his disciples. This is why, in concluding his instruction in sending them on mission, Jesus speaks on the disciples in terms of the cost and the reward of making him as their primacy in life (vv. 37-39) and of the quality of service and response to those who serve (vv.40-42).

First, Jesus says:

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Matthew 10:37-39).

To be his disciple, Jesus, the master, must be the priority, of one’s life. It means that one has to put Jesus above one’s own family. And this reflects these words of his, spoken before:

Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father (Matthew 10:32-33).

Those who keep Jesus as their primacy can prove this by carrying their respective crosses in following him and through their martyrdoms. To those who pays such a cost of the discipleship, Jesus will reward with eternal life. And this is reward is higher than the reward of being acknowledged by Jesus before his heavenly Father.

For the second part, Jesus says:

Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward (Matthew 10:40-42).

The true disciples whose primacy is Jesus, those who can prove this by giving up their own lives, being detached from all earthly matters, including their families, are one with him (i.e. John 14:20; 15:3-7;17:21, 23). This is why those who receive the disciples also receive Jesus (Matthew 10:40a). And because Jesus is one with the Father (John 10:30), those who receive the disciples, who are one with him, sent by him, who was sent by the Father (e.g. John 3:16; 5:24, 30, 37; 6:39), also receive the Father (Matthew 10:40b).

Then Jesus speaks of those who receive a prophet and those who receive a righteous person (Matthew 10:41). This reflects the First Reading (2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a), which describes a Shunammite woman, who received Prophet Elisha, a righteous man of God, and how she received a prophet reward.

Lastly, Jesus mentions that one who receive a disciple but not to show a decent hospitality, because of the disciple’s association with him, will not be rewarded (Matthew 10:42).

This last message reminds, again, that the world may not be so amicably receive disciples of Christ. But how people would be rewarded depends on the way they receive the disciples sent by him. In other words, those who receive Christ’s disciples with hospitality will be rewarded accordingly. At the same time, this message of Jesus can be also an instruction for the disciples to make sure they serve those who are least among us, those who are marginalized, rejected, ostracized, because we will be rewarded according to how we treat such people (i.e. Matthew 25:31-46). After all, Jesus decided to send the twelve disciples of his out of his compassion to such people (Matthew 9:35-10:5).

A reward of receiving a prophet was featured in the First Reading (2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a), in which Elisha told a barren Shunammite woman that she would hold a son in her arms, in response to her kind hospitality to him. This is similar to the three travelers, whom Abraham provided hospitality, told him that Sarah, who was thought to be barren and too old to bear a child, would have a son (Genesis 18:1-10). And Sarah gave birth to Isaac (Genesis 21:1-7). Likewise, the Shunammite woman sure became pregnant and had a son, as told by Elisha (2 Kings 4:17). However, he died and she held her dead son on her lap and laid him on the bed, which Elisha slept when he stayed at her home (2 Kings 4:20-21). Then, she went in haste to tell Elisha about her son’s death and he hurried to the house of the woman and raised the son back to life upon intensely praying to God (2 Kings 4:22-37).

The Responsorial Psalm (89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19) sings joyfully the grateful sentiment of receiving a reward for having received those who were sent by God, whether they are disciples of Christ, prophets of God, righteous persons, or those who are least among us.

As for the Second Reading (Romans 6:3-4, 8-11), this suggests that the discipleship also requires to be baptized into Christ’s death in order to live with him, who is risen from the dead, and to be one with him. And acknowledging this shall help us overcome our anxiety of losing earthly bodily lives in facing persecution.

Now it is clear to you what costs you to follow Jesus and be sent by him on apostolic mission. And it is made clear how you will be rewarded for your discipleship and service on the mission. 

So, what is keeping you from following Jesus and being sent by him?

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles: Honoring Two Leaders of the Nascent Church for Her Unity and Growth

We honor Peter and Paul on June 29 as they were leading forces of the stability and the growth of the nascent Church and the development of her doctrine in response to challenges. Peter was more to keep the unity of the Church, and Paul, through his extensive missions into the Greco-Roman world let the Church expand.

While Peter was in the first batch of the disciples picked by Jesus in person (Matthew 4:18-20), Paul was probably the last Apostle, whom Jesus picked. In fact, unlike Peter, Paul was not even in the twelve disciples, whom Jesus chose (Matthew 10:1-4). He never spent time with Jesus in person, unlike Peter and the rest of the twelve.

Neither Peter nor Paul had expected to meet Jesus and follow him. But though the ways they first encountered Jesus were quite different, their paths in following Jesus met to drive the nascent Church’s growth vigorously.

Out of the blue, Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, saw Peter and his brother, Andrew, casting the fishing net into the sea (Matthew 4:18) and said:

Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19).

And he and Andrew left their net and followed him (Matthew 4:20).

Paul’s encounter with Jesus was quite different. By that time, Paul was called, Jesus already died, resurrected, and ascended. The Church was already born and led by Peter. However, the nascent Church was facing severe persecution, and Paul was a zealous persecutor to the Church, as he confessed in the Second Reading of the Solemnity’s Vigil (Galatians 1:11-20).

Then, called Saul, Paul was on his way to Damascus to arrest more followers of Jesus and bring them to imprison in Jerusalem, Paul was struck by a lightning and fell to the ground when Jesus spoke to Paul (Acts 9:1-4):

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? (Acts 9:4b)

In reply, Paul said:

Who are you, sir? (Acts 9:5a)

Then, Jesus said Paul:

I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do (Acts 9:5b-6).

Though the lightning made him blind for three days, Paul got up and followed Jesus’ command and met with Ananias, who baptized Paul, as called by the Lord (Acts 9:8-19).

Paul regained his sight immediately and got up and was baptized (Acts 9:18), as Ananias laid his hand over him and said,” Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit “(Acts 9:17).

Fully recovered Paul began proclaiming that Jesus is the Son of God in the synagogues in Damascus (Acts 9:19-20).

Not only the ways they began to follow Jesus were different but their backgrounds were also quite different.

Peter was a fisherman in Galilee (Matthew 4:18), while Paul was highly educated Pharisee, as taught by Gamaliel from Tarsus (Acts 22:4; 23:6).

It is rather intriguing that Jesus picked a man who had no background in theology as he began his public ministry and picked a man who was zealous to destroy the newborn Church to make him for the sake of the Church. So this is how Jesus brought these two leaders, whom we honor on June 29, for his Church.

Peter and Paul are two main characters in the Acts of the Apostles to see how these men contributed for the stability and growth of the Church. In this book, written by Luke, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, Pater is featured from chapter 2 to chapter 12, and from chapter 13 to chapter 28, Paul is featured.

As the First Reading (Acts 12:1-11) describes, though Peter was securely chained in prison, the angel of the Lord led him out of it to freedom so that he would be able to continue his apostolic ministry. Paul was also in prison because of his work of Jesus, though he and his companion on his second missionary journey, Silas, came out of the prison because of the violent earthquake (Acts 16:16-34). As in the case of Peter, Paul continued with his ministry upon coming out of prison.

As for Paul, ever since the trial by Felix, corrupt Roman governor, resulting in imprisonment in Caesarea (Acts 24:24-27), Paul’s life began heading to his martyrdom in Rome. Rather than having his appealed case heard by Caesar in Rome, Paul was executed without having his case heard. Nevertheless, he never stopped his ministry, on his way to Rome and even in prison.

Upon arriving in Rome, while waiting for his case to be heard by Caesar, Paul was put in house arrest for two years, actively ministering, as allowed to receive guests (Acts 28:16-31). It is believed that Pauline prison epistles, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, were written during these two years in Rome.

Paul was released from this house arrest, once, but arrested again. This time, he was put in a prison cell alone. It was when he wrote his Second Letter to Timothy, and we read his words to Timothy in the Second Reading (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18). From this reading, we sense that Paul knew that his martyrdom was imminent. So, while he was still able, Paul wrote these words to Timothy, whom he counted on to inherit his ministry (i.e. 1 Timothy 1:2, 18; 2 Timothy 1:2):

For I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen (2 Timothy 4:17-18).

Paul had offered everything for his apostolic mission, which started in Damascus, shortly after being baptized by Ananias. He completed three mission journeys, and established churches in many places in the Greco-Roman world and fostered their growth. Now his martyrdom is fast-approaching. So Paul wanted to make sure that Timothy, his mentee, would continue where Paul left, as these were Paul’s final words of farewell to Timothy.

The Gospel Reading (Matthew 16:13-19) depicts how Peter was chose by Jesus to lead the Church. Thus, this is where the Catholics see why Peter became the first Pope. With these words, Jesus charged Peter to serve as the pastor to his Church:

Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:17-19).

Because whatever he binds and looses on earth shall be bound and loosed in heaven, the authority that Peter received from Jesus is very powerful.

Peter received this authority because he was the one who correctly identified Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). But, as Jesus indicated, it was because God chose him to reveal this Christological truth. It means that God had willed Peter to serve as Pope. However, Peter had to learn a lot to be ready to lead Christ’s Church, as he was rebuked by Jesus severely for trying to prevent him from accomplishing his earthly ministry in Jerusalem (Matthew 16:21-23) and denied Jesus three times out of fear when Jesus was arrested and tried (Matthew 26:69-75). Nevertheless, Jesus did not change his mind in keeping Peter as Pope of his Church, as the Gospel Reading of the Vigil (John 21:15-19) describes. Otherwise, why would risen Jesus would reinstate Peter in his position to take care of Jesus’ sheep, until his martyrdom?

One thing we can reflect in solemnly honoring St. Peter and St. Paul is that Jesus picked these “problematic” men from different backgrounds, making them work together for the unity and the growth of his Church. When they were commissioned, these men were ready with their resolves to engage in their apostolic missions fully and boldly. So, by virtue of Baptism and Confirmation, having receiving the Holy Spirit to empower, we, too, shall strive to be like Peter and Paul.

We come from different backgrounds.  We have various educational backgrounds. And our views are diverse. But, when we are called by Jesus, we are able to work on one team for our common cause: the unity and the growth of the Church.

St. Irenaeus of Lyon: Powerful Apologist to Defend the Church, Her Unity, and Her Doctrines against Gnosticism

With clarity and resolve, can you engage in a public debate with heretics to defend the Christ’s teaching and the Church doctrines and to invalidate their false teachings without becoming fussy and argumentative? It means making an argument without committing non sequitur and ad hominem, of course. If you can, you make a good pastor and even presbyter in the Church with the tradition of St. John the Apostle, St. Polycarp, and St. Irenaeus.

On June 28, the Church honors and memorialize the life of St. Irenaeus of Lyon, who has been known as a champion of the Church in fighting against heresies, especially Gnosticism, which claims to possess “higher knowledge”( ανώτερη γνώση – anoteri gnosi).

Some may say, “What’s the problem with “higher knowledge?”, “Didn’t Jesus come to teach “higher knowledge” of the Father?”

Then, how would you respond?

First, Gnosticism is rather a blanket term that encompasses a range of heretic thoughts on seeking and attaining “higher knowledge” to be “saved”. But knowledge per se cannot save us. What Gnostics call “higher knowledge” of is not in line with the true higher wisdom and knowledge of the Father through Christ’s teaching (John 7:16; 8:28), because it is dualistic. There is no space for dualism in Christ’s teaching and Christology. And none of the Apostles and the Church Fathers, such as St. Polycarp, St. Justine and St. Irenaeus, have ever taught such a divisive thought.

Yes, the incarnated Christ, Jesus, has dual nature: divine and human. But duality is not to be confused with dualism. Otherwise, we cannot correctly understand Christology, which leads to Christ’s hypostatic union with the Father and the Holy Spirit in Trinity.

 within the Church. It was already a threat to the unity of the nascent Church in the Apostolic age. So, St. John wrote his Gospel and his three epistles to make sure the faithful believers would not be fooled by this heresy.

St. Polycarp was a student of St. John and inherited John’s anti-heresy work, defending the authenticity of Christ’s teaching, as passed through the Apostles, with his eloquent preaching. And ever since his childhood, St. Irenaeus has been impressed by St. Polycarp, and learned from this great Church Father to become another excellent preacher and staunch defender of the Church against heresies, in particular, Valentianism, a very influential Gnosticism of that time.

St. Iraneaus became the second bishop of Lyon, succeeding St. Pothinus, when the new church in Lyon was facing fierce attacks by pagans and Gnostics migrated from Asia Minor. This reality put the new church in Lyon at risk of collapsing because of divisions. Taking over St. Ponthinus’ efforts, as the second bishop of Lyon, St. Irenaeus was successful in bringing “sheep” scattered by pagans’ persecution and Gnosticism back to the church until his martyrdom.

The Scripture Readings and Responsorial Psalm of the Memorial Feast of St. Irenaeus (2 Timothy 2:22b-26; Psalm 37:3-4,5-6,30-31; John 17:20-26) reflect the life of St. Irenaeus as pastor of the church in Lyon, especially bringing those whose faith were distracted by Gnosticism back to the church through his kind and gentle teaching. Such his teaching is echoed in the Responsorial Psalm (37:3-4,5-6,30-31), especially in these verses:

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom; his tongue speaks what is right. God’s teaching is in his heart; his steps do not falter (vv. 30-31).

In fact, the wisdom out of St. Irenaeus’ mouth when he preached and out of his writings, “Against Heresies” and “The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching”, helped many convert themselves from heresies of Gnosticism to the authentic Christianity. His fight against heretical Gnosticism to defend the Church and her doctrine, which is faithfully built upon Christ’s teaching, as passed by the Apostles, was also to maintain the unity of the Church. The unity, indeed, is Christ’s desire, as he expressed in his prayer before he entered the Passion, as described in the Gospel Reading (John 17:20-26). In this, we see Jesus willed to send his disciples out to unite those who do not yet know him to them through their apostolic mission of teaching.

St. Irenaeus was on this line of the apostolic teaching from St. John through St. Polycarp. And he made a great contribution for the unity of the church in Lyon and beyond, fighting against heretical and divisive Gnosticism.

In honoring St. Irenaeus’ contribution to unity, for the occasion of Christian unity week, on January 21, 2022, Pope Francis declared St. Irenaeus as the doctor of unity (doctor unitatis):

Saint Irenaeus of Lyon, who came from the East, exercised his episcopal ministry in the West: he was a spiritual and theological bridge between Eastern and Western Christians. His name, Irenaeus, expresses that peace which comes from the Lord and which reconciles, restoring unity. For these reasons, having obtained the opinion of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, with my Apostolic Authority I declare him a Doctor of the Church with the title of Doctor unitatis.

May the teaching of this great Master increasingly encourage the journey of all the Lord's disciples towards full communion.

Pope sees St. Irenaeus as a bridge between the Western Church and the Eastern Church, as the division between these Churches is not yet fully closed.

St. Irenaeus wrote:

As I have already observed, the Church, having received this preaching and this faith, although scattered throughout the whole world, yet, as if occupying but one house, carefully preserves it. She also believes these points [of doctrine] just as if she had but one soul, and one and the same heart, and she proclaims them, and teaches them, and hands them down, with perfect harmony, as if she possessed only one mouth. For, although the languages of the world are dissimilar, yet the import of the tradition is one and the same. For the Churches which have been planted in Germany do not believe or hand down anything different, nor do those in Spain, nor those in Gaul, nor those in the East, nor those in Egypt, nor those in Libya, nor those which have been established in the central regions of the world. But as the sun, that creature of God, is one and the same throughout the whole world, so also the preaching of the truth shines everywhere, and enlightens all men that are willing to come to a knowledge of the truth. Nor will any one of the rulers in the Churches, however highly gifted he may be in point of eloquence, teach doctrines different from these (for no one is greater than the Master); nor, on the other hand, will he who is deficient in power of expression inflict injury on the tradition. For the faith being ever one and the same, neither does one who is able at great length to discourse regarding it, make any addition to it, nor does one, who can say but little diminish it (Against Heresy, I,10, 2).

And these words of St. Irenaeus reflect these words of St. Paul:

Now in regard to spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware. You know how, when you were pagans, you were constantly attracted and led away to mute idols. Therefore, I tell you that nobody speaking by the spirit of God says, “Jesus be accursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the holy Spirit.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.

To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues.

But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes. One Body, Many Parts.

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.

If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. Or if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. If they were all one part, where would the body be? But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.”

Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.

If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.

Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it  (1 Corinthians 12:1-27).

Unity, not division, is what characterizes the one holy catholic (universal) and apostolic Church. This reflect that there is no space for heretical dualistic teaching, such as Gnosticism. And we are called by Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, inspired by the Apostles and the Church Fathers to defend the unity of the Church and her doctrines against all sorts of heresies, as we speak and write the truth with wisdom, as exemplified by St. Irenaeus.

Not to Judge or To Judge: Overcoming Inherent Imperfection with the Holy Spirit

Jesus challenges us to be as perfect as the heavenly Father is (Matthew 5:48), though we are not perfect. Our imperfection began when Adam and Eve fell to Satan’s temptation (Genesis 3:1-7), though God made us in His triune image (Genesis 1:26-27) and called us very good (Genesis 1:31). Overcoming our imperfections, which have evolved from the sin of Adam and Eve, is the way to enter the Kingdom of God, because purity in our hearts, as we were created, is required to see God in the Kingdom (i.e. Matthew 5:8; cf. Revelation 22:4). One reason why the Father gave us His only begotten Son (John 3:16) is to teach us how we can surmount our imperfections. And one of our imperfections that may get in our way to the Kingdom is our inclination to judge others.

Aren’t we all tend to judge others, as we quickly notice what is wrong with another  person but we hardly recognize our own problems?

Our brains tend to judge others. Otherwise, we would not have problems of discrimination, bullying, and so forth. These problems are rooted in judging others, resulting in prejudice and stereotyping.

Namely, our judging has an inherent problem of cognitive bias.

Does it mean that we would be able to judge others without a problem if we could become bias-free?

Alas, expecting humans to be bias free is like having the fantasy of having p-value of 0 in statistical analysis.

Have you ever come across any empirical research study with its data’s statistical analysis comes with p-value of 0, which means absolutely no probability at all of committing type-I error, which is rejecting null hypothesis when it should not be rejected, resulting in faulty conclusion.

This lesson from statistics is a humbling reminder that science is not perfect because we cannot attain perfect statistical analysis, which could be symbolized with p-value of 0.

Our cognitive bias is like a risk of committing type-I error, which is mistakenly assuming that there is statistically significant difference though there is not, thus wrongfully rejecting null hypothesis when it is true. The bottom line is that the imperfect nature of our cognition and cognitive abilities make our mind quick to judge others to fit the object of the judgment to our own cognitive biases.

Given this reality, I think, one reason why Jesus taught not to judge others (Matthew 7:1) is not let this psychological fact become an obstacle to our way to the Kingdom.

So Jesus said:

Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you (Matthew 7:1-2).

In other words, judging others will result in receiving unfavorable judgement from God, thus, preventing the entrance into the Kingdom. To make this point, Paul wrote to the Romans:

You are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true. Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?(Romans 2:1-3).

In the following words, Jesus hinted why we should not judge – besides the possibility of forfeiting the eligibility to enter the Kingdom:

Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me remove that splinter from your eye,” while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye (Matthew 7:3-5).

Basically, through the above words, Jesus was speaking against the cognitive bias of the Dunning–Kruger effect. This cognitive bias is known to be more evident among those who are narcissistic (Christopher et al., 2023)*, as this contributes to judging others negatively in order to relatively make one appear “superior”.  

Jesus pointed out that the blindness to the “wooden beam” in one’s own eye is associated with one’s tendency to judge others, seeing the “splinter” in the eye of another person. For such a person to say, “Let me remove that splinter from your eye”, is it out of compassion? No. It is rather to show one’s superiority over the other. This is why Jesus rebuked such a person as “hypocrite”. Such a pseudo compassion of a hypocrite, out of one’s Dunning–Kruger effect is just as bad as a blind person leading another blind person, resulting in both falling (Matthew 15:14; Luke 6:39). It is not helpful to another person but can be hazardous.

Unless we attain perfect mind that is totally free of cognitive bias – that makes no wrong assumption, such as type I error and type II error in doing statistical analysis, we are not to judge others at all. Otherwise, we sure risk our chance to enter the Kingdom.

Not to judge others unless you are perfect – this teaching is echoed when Jesus said, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her”(John 8:7) in response to the scribes and the Pharisees asking him what to do with a woman, whom they claimed to have caught in adultery (John 8:1-11).

Now, it is also important to note that Jesus’ teaching against judging others does not necessarily mean that we let evil of others prevail. So, he said:

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector (Matthew 18:15-17).

Does it require a judgement to confront another person’s offense? Yes, it demands a judicious judgement. Did Jesus teach against this? Obviously not.

So, what should we do not to judge others, as Jesus taught, but we can make a right judgement to confront another person’s evil?

We need to pray and ask for the Holy Spirit, from whom we learn what we need to know (John 14:26) and we can receive wisdom (1 Corinthians 12:8). This way, we do not judge others, as Jesus prohibits, but can make a right judgement when and how to confront evil of another person.

There is a gap between God’s perfect mind and our imperfect minds (Isaiah 55:8-9). So, we also need to humbly heed these words of God to Samuel:

Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The LORD looks into the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

Let us ask Jesus to send the Holy Spirit from the Father so that we can compliment our imperfect minds and strive to perfection in order to know when not to judge and to judge correctly. We need this grace to overcome our imperfection in order to enter the Kingdom.

*Christopher, K.I., P., P. & Herbert, H.S. (2023). Presence or absence of Dunning-Kruger effect: Differences in narcissism, general self-efficacy and decision-making styles in young adults. Current Psychology 42, 1444–1455. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01461-9