Daily Scriptures Reflection for 11/12/11

Romans 2:1-11. Psalm 62:2-3.6-7.9. Luke 11:42-46:

Paul gives us a great insight into his comprehension of who God is. He
tells us at the end of his reasoning about those who judge others and those
who are righteous and do not judge others. His words tells us that with
God there is no favoritism. He divides the world into Jews and Gentiles
thus covering all of the human race during the first century. God’s
judgment, unlike human judgment, calls all of us to repentance through his
kindness to both saints and sinners. Jesus his son will do the same.

Both Jew and Gentile are under this judgment of God and it is our love of
God’s commandments that puts us under the power of God’s love and God’s
justice. He encourages us to respect this judgment of God by living out
the fullness of our lives in conformity with the compassionate love of God
seen in the one commandment of love. Paul repeats, “…there will be glory,
honor, and peace for everyone who has done good, likewise to the Jew first,
then the Greek.”

Our Psalm Response is an acknowledgment of God’s righteous judgment on us
all: “Lord, you give back to everyone according to their works. “ (Psalm
62:13).

The scene from the Gospel of Luke shows us that Jesus has the same
authority as that of God when it comes to passing judgment on us. Whenever
we are not in harmony with God’s law of love and compassion we, too, are
subject to the “Woes” of the Lord. A woe is the opposite of a beatitude or
blessing. Thus if we are observers of the beatitudes, we are blessed
without being judged. Jesus always blesses those who see the centrality of
God’s commandments of love. Amen,