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Jesus speaks to all of us, as his disciples, in this Gospel. He gives us direct teaching on how to be more Christlike. He calls us to be better and to love others as He has loved us with the promise of even more goodness if we are able to live that life.
Our second graders had very concrete examples of how judging or condemning can hurt. They talked about the mean looks, of not feeling good enough, of comparing themselves to others when they think of their appearances, or accomplishments. They reflected on the times when maybe they had laughed at a friend, or had not offered forgiveness when a friend left them out at recess, or interrupted them when they had the answer in school. The realization hit them that they too experienced and caused hurt.
When they gathered again to reflect on the Gospel with a new thought: so now what is this Gospel telling us to do? They realized that it takes us all, every day, making the choice to actively love others. If someone does something embarrassing, say ‘That happens, it’s okay,’ instead of laughing. If you are upset with a friend, don’t say mean things just because you are hurt. If you get the last of something, try to share it instead of just feeling happy you got it. When someone interrupts you or leaves you out, forgive them, don’t say bad things about them.
These are situations that on some level cross all of our lives each day. It is easy to float through them and react without thinking, without mercy. During Lent, let’s try to take the challenge of being merciful, forgiving, and non-judgmental. For if we do, in the words of a second grader, we will receive goodness ‘packed into a measuring cup like brown sugar; packed so tightly and so completely that it falls into our hands in the shape of the cup, that seems like the promise of Heaven!’ Let us all be called to love God and to love others.
-Mrs. Gross's Second Grade class
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