love and patience for the "terrible two" // 2012.06.25

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Terrible Twos. That's what most pediatricians and child psychologists call that stage characterized by toddlers being negative about most things and often saying 'no'; or finding your toddler having frequent mood changes and temper tantrums. Experts always remind us that the child isn't trying to be defiant or rebellious on purpose, and that he is just trying to express his growing independence and doesn't have the language skills to easily express his needs.

Being a father of a "terrible two", I can cleary see what they mean. My baby would always want to do things his own way, and shout back at me when I reprimand him for doing things he shouldn't. I'd discipline him when needed, and he'd feel resentful sometimes. What makes it all worthwhile is seeing him develop positive habits. More importantly, seeing him develop those while drawing even nearer me despite the disciplining that I do.

God is like that -- He disciplines us to help us be the best that we can be, not because He resents us but because He loves us. The Israelites felt more than a lot of times that God had forsaken them, even forgetting that it is them that brought about their misfortune themselves. However, time and again, God has proven His love for us despite our somewhat rebellious attitude.

In today's Gospel, Jesus calls us once again to look at our neighbors not with judgemental eyes but with eyes of love that seeks to lift the person up from his ditch instead of branding him or her as a waste of earth space.

Jesus is not asking us to pretend nothing's wrong, or to call black white. He isn't telling us that "better" people have the license to judge or correct others however they want to. On the contrary, He is reminding us to love the person, understand what is causing that person to sin, and have the patience to be "Jesus to him or her".

Is there a person in your life right now that is heating up your blood? Cast away that anger, stop cursing or thinking bad things about him or her. Instead of distancing yourself, draw nearer to Him just as God does with us.