Acts 13:44-52 / John 14:7-14
Criticisms are certainly not a proper way to address an issue.
Even though there is such a term called “constructive criticism”, yet there seems to be an ambiguity or a contradiction in that term.
And when criticisms are prompted by jealousy, then terrible things can be said and done.
In the 1st reading, that was what Paul and Barnabas faced.
Blasphemies were even hurled at them even though what they were doing was to preach the Word of God.
But criticisms always reveal the motives and the intentions of the critics.
Especially when critics are so engrossed in their jealousy, they will not be able to see anything good at all.
In the gospel, Jesus told Philip that to have seen Him is to have seen the Father.
But there were also the Pharisees and the scribes who saw Jesus as only a threat and a trouble-maker.
Let us remember that criticisms only reveal the dark side of the critic.
Let us ask the Lord for the grace to have eyes that will see without biasness and without being judgmental or jealous.
May we see the good in others and encourage them in their goodness.
That is one of the Christian ways of preaching the Good News.