Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 1, 2021
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”
The “golden rule” can be expressed in many different ways. Most often we hear it as, “do unto others as you would have them do to you.” In today’s gospel, we hear it in other words: “the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” This particular formulation is my favorite.
One of the best parts of this way of expressing the golden rule is that it takes us past the tit-for-tat of “do unto others…” It is not only other folks who return back to us our way of acting and being, it is God who does so, too. If I measure out a ration of impatience to my children, shouldn’t I expect that my divine Father will measure out the same to me? If I measure out a portion of wrath to a coworker who fails to meet a deadline, won’t God do the same to me? Ultimately, I am the one who determines how God will judge me. This is the most liberating and the most challenging revelation I can imagine.
This gospel makes it simple. “Stop judging and you will not be judged.” Am I worried about how God will judge me? Then, maybe I should stop judging others. Jesus tells us something that could not be simpler in theory yet more challenging in practice. We judge others constantly. From petty judgements to major life moments, we have a hard time letting go of our human tendency to judge.
I think the point here is that God wants to give us pure mercy. What better way could there be to prepare us to accept mercy than to invite us to extend it to others? I hope that I can measure out that measure of mercy (rather than judgement) to others in my life.
Prayer
God, the greatest gift we can give you is being merciful to our sisters and brothers. In order to forgive, however, we have to let go of the pain we hold. Letting go of those hurts is a hard sacrifice—help us to die to ourselves willingly so that we can live in your mercy. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. David was a Welsh bishop who was the founding figure of the Christian Church in Wales.
David was born in the late fifth or early sixth century. His legend—the story of his life—was written down in the eleventh century by a Welsh monk. According to this biography, David was born in Wales, the grandson of a king. He is credited with founding monasteries and churches throughout Wales and Southern Britain. St. David's Cathedral stands today on the site of one of these monasteries. He defended Christian orthodoxy against the Pelagian heresy.
Once, when David was preaching, a dove landed on his shoulder. The people interpreted this as a sign of God's favor for him and the truth of his words. They popularly elected him archbishop over the whole region.
David lived a strict, ascetic lifestyle. His monastic rule demanded that the monks not only work in the fields but also pull the plow themselves, rather than oxen or horses. He and his monks refrained from meat or beer, eating only water and bread with salt and herbs.
Traditionally, the day of St. David's death, March 1, is known as St. David's Day. A phrase from his last sermon has become a common Welsh proverb—"do ye the little things in life." The Cathedral, named after David, where he was buried somewhere between 589 and 601, was raided by Vikings in the Middle Ages and plundered significantly. In 1275, a new Cathedral was built, and some of David's relics were restored. In 1120, St. David was officially recognized as a saint by the Roman Church. He is the patron saint of Wales and a patron saint of vegetarians.
St. David, bishop of Wales and faithful monk—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. David of Wales is available for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Last accessed February 6, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
