March 28, Saturday Lenten Weekday

O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.--Psalm 7:2

Mass readings: Jeremiah 11:18-20 / John 7:40-53

A Prophet from Galilee?

I live in an area of our city which has a reputation for crime and is home for a lower socio-economic group than other parts. Residents tend to shrug their shoulders and dismiss it as unimportant. But from this lowly place have arisen sports stars, trailblazers, eminent citizens. It's true that you can't tell a book by its cover.

In Jesus' time, His lowly place of residence gave His enemies the ammunition they needed to dismiss Him as a prophet. As if where you live could make you any better or worse than anyone else. How shallow my judgments can be at times, too. I base them on appearances or other such trivia when the real truth of the person is in his heart and soul. Fortunately, God sees both of those.

Prayer: Lord, let me not judge others by external factors.