The Judgment Test

Gospel: John 5: 17-30

Today's Gospel on the judgment of the son seems stark until we place it in the context of Jesus' larger lessons and images on the topic.  When we hear the term judgment we think of all sorts of things where we fall short.  We don't know the finer points of theology or liturgical practice.  We have a myriad and laws and rules and we don't follow all of them.  We have our sins with which we continually struggle.

But recall the passages of judgment with which we are familiar:  the sheep and goats of Matthew 25 where judgment is about caring for the least ones in their need; the parable of the rich man and Lazarus where the rich man was condemned for failing to care for the poor man; the parable of the Good Samaritan where the fundamental question is: who was neighbor to the one in need?

God knows we all sin and are in need of mercy.  God provides that mercy to us with only one condition - that we show that same mercy to others.  And that is the sole criterion of judgment.  Have we sought God's mercy for our sins, and have we shown mercy to others in our life?