In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us another teaching that challenges us: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” In our modern, perhaps even post-Christianity society, we hear things like: “I’m not judging,” “no judgment here, “you do you,” “Love the sinner, not the sin,” etc. For many of us, who try to live according to the natural laws of God, and His Commandments, and the Beatitudes and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, we shy away from “judging” the acts of others for fear of being labeled judgmental.
I want to share this reflection that I recently read in hopes of helping us to understand better what Jesus means when he tells us to “stop judging, that you may not be judged.” Quote: “Jesus warns against judging others. Not that it is wrong to judge whether an action is sinful according to the law of God; that form of moral evaluation is simply an exercise of the Christian conscience. Rather, Jesus forbids us to judge and condemn the heart. No one has access to the hidden intentions that animate another’s actions, nor can one know another’s level of culpability as determined by their circumstances and by their level of moral or religious instruction” (Mitch & Sri, 114).
With this understanding in mind, fraternal correction (Galatians 6:1-5), or correction of a brother or sister (Matthew 18:15-17), is how we live out Jesus' commandment to us to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. . . [and here is the hinge] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). Fraternal correction should be done in humility, mercy, and love, examination of conscience is a necessary practice that should precede such correction as a balance against pride [and this is important for us to remember] to ensure we are not also guilty of the same fault. Sounds familiar. It should, because Jesus teaches us this in today’s Gospel as well: “You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye.”
Finally, Jesus teaches us: “the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” St. Gregory the Great said that “God measures as we measure, and pardons as we pardon, and shows mercy as we show mercy.” This is included in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Didache, 1271). Jesus said: “If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:7-15). All of Jesus’ teachings help us to live out his commandment to love one another as He loves us.
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