Let Them Be

“What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” John 21:22

St. Peter was impulsive, and outspoken. In John 21, he was curious about Jesus’ plans for John. “What about him?” he asked. Jesus’ answer may be His answer to us when we complain about others escaping responsibilities, or even when we feel overwhelmed by the corruption and wrong doing around us. 

My dad was a Methodist and thought that all the processions and feasts for the saints we Catholics have is, to put it mildly, over the top. Towards his last years, he had many conversations with God. One of them concerned the what seemed to him and many others, insane, procession of the Black Nazarene in January. He would watch it with amazement on TV. Thousands of devotees walked barefoot for almost 20 hours with the 16th C black statue of Jesus while it was wheeled to the Luneta in a carroza. The streets would be so crowded with people that no cars could pass for hours. My dad asked God in his puzzlement, “What do You think of that?” And God answered him just three words. “Let them be.” Those three words always reminded him to not grumble or complain. My dad took it to mean, “That’s not your concern, it’s my concern. I love them as much as I love you. Concern yourself with your own business.” 

Like Peter, we may be curious or even judgemental about others. Some other peoples’ lives may seem too easy, or too hard. Maybe we think our neighbor needs to be taught a lesson. Maybe someone in our church group is too complacent. Maybe people in government need true conversion. Jesus says to us, “Be concerned with your own life, your own growth, your own conversion. Follow me. Let me take care of the others.”