12th Monday - Stop Judging

 

 Stop judging that you may not be judged.

In the Gospel today, Jesus condemns any rash judgments that we make maliciously or carelessly about our neighbor’s behavior. He is condemning condemnatory judgment. To condemn someone is to make a judgment with regard to the state of his or her soul.

Let us give an example. Let’s suppose we begin a conversation with a friend who is grumpy. He makes negative comments about the weather, his job, his family, and his neighbors. Our first thought may be: “This person is sinning”, “This person has no charity in his heart.” “He does not know how to love.” “What an evil person!”

Just because a person is making negative comments, we cannot judge that he is sinning, or that he has no charity in his heart, or that he does not know how to love, or that he is an evil person. All of these are condemnatory judgments. The truth is we really do not know what is going on in his heart, or in his life. God is the only judge. He is a just, and merciful judge, who truly knows the heart. We have no authority to judge our neighbor.

Our Blessed Lord said, “For as you judge, so you will be judged.” Aren’t these words frightening? Another way of saying what Jesus said could be, “Do not judge others, that you not be judged by God”. In other words, if we condemn others, God will condemn us.

So what are we to do, if we meet someone who is grumpy, and makes negative comments about others? First; begin to pray silently for them, as we listen to them. Second; gently, make positive comments about the persons, he or she is negatively speaking. Third; we do not know what he is going through in his life. For example, he may be suffering greatly due to headache, or perhaps he recently lost a loved one, or maybe he just received bad news, or perhaps the stress of old age has become overwhelming to him or her, and so, the person is not thinking clearly.

Therefore, we should never think badly of anyone, not even if the words or conduct of the person gives us grounds for doing so. Let us therefore be slow to judge. Each person sees things from his own point of view. Each mind has its limitations, and often one’s eyes may be dimmed by powerful emotions, fears, or pain.

St. Augustine gave advice with regard to judging others. He said, “Try to acquire those virtues which you think your brothers lack, and you will no longer see their defects, because you will not have the (virtues) yourself.” 

Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, "If you judge people, you have no time to love them."

May we turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who never once sinned, and ask Her to help us to overcome rash judgment, that we may not be judged, by our condemnatory judgments, on the day of our judgment, and so enter into the joys of heaven.