Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
I am, by nature, a people-watcher. I love sitting back, observing people, and trying to figure out their backstory and their family history. I always make speculations and guesses as to how everyone in a group fits together or who is in a relationship with whom, just based on subtle gestures that they may be doing. I always want to know more about the people I am observing.
But we hear in our first reading that knowing is not always important or necessary. Rather, in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul shares that “knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up”. When I am busy watching people and analyzing them, trying to learn more about them, what I should be doing is observing them and wondering, “how can I love them?” Often times we are not called to know everything we can about someone, we are just called to love them, where they are.
When I read the Gospel and pondered the line, “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you,” I admit, I got a little nervous. If I am honest I can admit that when I am “People watching” I am usually judging, unless I make a strong effort not to. Often when observing others I am thinking, “well, at least we’re not in that situation,” rather than simply offering a quick prayer for them. Usually my measure is pretty limited when observing others lives. I pray that God measures me by a larger measure. I hope to adjust to using a measure of love.
At the parish retreat this past weekend, we heard stories of encountering Christ, in many different ways. One very specific way was to encounter Christ in the strangers that we meet in this world. This called me to take a different approach to my “people watching”. Rather than observing others and judging them or wanting to know everything about t them I have begun offering a short prayer for them. Prayer is powerful. If we continue to look at the world through a lens of prayer we will make a huge impact and the measure we measure with will be immeasurable.
- Amanda Grimm