Becoming a pastor at a new parish is always a great joy but also a challenge. There are parishioners that have great expectation of a new pastor. Some would expect the same kind of leadership of the previous pastor whom they loved, and some want big changes right away. Each time I come to a new parish, there will be people who would try to help me to get to know the new place and to get to know the parishioners. I would hear things like this: for example -- she is a very good person, she would help you with this and that; but I also heard things like -- stay away from so and so, he is a bad person. And these are the opinions of people that have their own experience with this other person. Most times, I have learned that after meeting the person mentioned, I then realize that he or she is totally different than described. What I am trying to say is that we need to build our opinion about another person not based on what others tell us but on our own experience with the person. You can only say something about another after you meet and get to know that person. Jesus is asking you today: first, what do others say about me, and then, what do you say about me? Because what others may say about Christ, might not be your experience of the Lord. He wants you to get to know Him personally, spend more time with Him, become His friend, because only then would you be able to have your own opinion about Jesus.
