Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's first reading, we read from the Book of Deuteronomy why we do not have grounds to judge and condemn others: "We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws." We are all sinners who have fallen short of God's laws and commandments.
However, we are called to strive for holiness, which we means strive to live a moral life and uphold the values and virtues that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has given us through his one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. We are also called to help our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ get to heaven, starting with our families. How many times did Saint Paul have to correct the Christian communities when they went astray. If he had not, then he would have failed in his mission to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others and lead them to Christ, in words and deeds and how they live their lives. Therefore, in that way, we are called to encourage our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ to live a moral life and uphold the values and virtues taught to us by the Church.
This means sometimes having to correct others and steer others back on the right path should they stray. This means that we ourselves have to live by those values and virtues and lead by example. In other words, we need to examine the log in our own eyes before we talk with other person about the splinter in his eyes. It starts with us and our relationship with God, because we need His grace to learn to be merciful and forgiving toward others (and ourselves) as He is merciful and forgiving of us.
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Gospel of the Day
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
"Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you."
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