It is 16th October 2019. We celebrate the memorials of Saint Hedwig, and Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, religious. The readings are from Romans 2:1-11; and the Gospel from Luke 11:42-46. To be a witness of faith one needs to avoid scathingly unjust judgements on others. Just because we believe and worship God, we must not mock someone who struggles to get a grip of faith. We cannot be witnesses of faith when we wish to take the place of God in judging others. God alone can judge justly because God is all-knowing. Our judgements are mostly biased, prejudiced, selective, unkind and destructive. We need to be patient like God so as to judge a person justly. St. Paul teaches us three lessons in the first reading that we must allow God to judge, God alone can reward and reserve the blessings, and God is impressed by our intentions than outward appearances. “Pain and suffering will come to every human being who employs himself in evil…; renown, honour and peace will come to everyone who does good, God has no favourites.” (Rom.2:11). We all will be judged by God in the way we have loved one another and the way we live in faith. Salvation is not reserved to the chosen people alone. Time of privilege is over; it is time of personal decision to know, believe and live in Christ. It is time to surrender, discover not for passing judgements and basking in the flames of evil of the others. No one owns truth except God. The more we behave like the sole defender of truth; we have the tendency to exclude others from salvation. The responsorial Psalm acclaims, “Lord, you repay each person according to his/her deeds.” (Ps.61:13). In the Gospel, Jesus denounces self-righteous and impenetrable attitude of the Pharisees and the scholars especially regarding offering. Making an offering to God and the Church must not excuse ourselves from relating with our neighbour and having a true relationship of faith in God. Another thing Jesus points out is seeking honour and gratifications that display of inner corruption with selfish ends. Jesus rebuked their inconsistency in their teaching and lives. Law must serve, preserve, and promote life as faith encourages everyone to grow to the fullest in love. We need to distinguish between pure and impure, internal and external and imposed and practiced. It is God who made both and therefore no one can be declared profane or impure. We, the missionary disciples need to be close to all people without any favouritism and called to give what is right within not be seeking human approval and applause with fake and exaggerated appearances. What makes us pure is our acts of mercy and charity. May we get the power of the Holy Spirit in reserving our judgements on others and leaving the matter sub judice to God. May you have a good day. May God bless you.