of condemnation and judgment

I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.

~~excerpted from today's Daily Mass Readings, John 12:44-50, v. 47 in pertinent part

~*~*~

folks, we have got it all wrong.

if Jesus Christ Himself spoke these words -- it is in the Gospel of St. John so it is my belief as a follower of Jesus Christ that He did, in fact, speak these words -- why on earth are we so judgmental of what people do or don't do, say or don't say, pierce or don't pierce, tattoo or don't tattoo?

what business is it of ours?

how can we proclaim Christ and be His representatives on earth when we are, by our thoughts, words and deeds, condemning others because they are not behaving as we believe they should behave?

if Jesus does not condemn someone who has HEARD HIS WORDS -- been given the Gospel, the Words of eternal life -- how can we?

really, how can we?

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