march 20, 2021 (Sat in the fourth week of lent)

For today's readings, click HERE.

by Ruthie Darnell

In this reading, there’s an emphasis on judgment and how the people either believed or didn’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah. They compared Jesus to a set of standards that they had based on their interpretations of religious texts.

Today, I think it’s easy to stick to your own interpretations and beliefs, especially when times are difficult. Certain events and experiences can cause people to have a closed mind and I believe that it’s easy to slip into a closed-mind perspective when there are hardships such as a worldwide pandemic. Certain groups get blamed, disparities in certain contexts are more exposed, and people are tense, making them more vulnerable to close their minds off and pass judgment on the things they see or hear.

​But during times of adversity, having an open mind is extremely crucial. We see things from other perspectives, we learn about what others are going through and in the process, we connect and become closer. Reflecting on the past year, adversity has been high and it’s been an eye-opener for me. I’ve learned that having an open mind is sometimes difficult, but as long as we try and put effort into this way of thinking, I believe that growth will occur.