10th Sunday after Pentecost 9.8.20 Judging others
We should not judge each other (Lk 6,37). We often hear that. It is often used as a counterattack on any attempt by one person to correct another.
You cannot judge me; therefore you have no right to comment on what I do.
We do not know the state of another’s soul; we do not have enough information. We do know however whether certain things are right or wrong.
If I see someone starting to burn down the town hall, I do not know his motives or his mental state. I can judge however that objectively, his action is wrong.
We must not be silent on moral matters out of fear that someone could be offended.
Feelings do get hurt when the moral truth is asserted. This is why people were so angry with the prophets, and with Our Lord.
The truth will set us free (Jn 8,31-32), and truth is all we are seeking. Those who are genuinely ignorant of their wrongdoing will be happier if they come to know their true position.
Many would be unaware of why what they are doing is wrong, or how seriously wrong it is. Their ignorance may or not be excusable, but in any case it is a serious wrong, objectively.
For ourselves at least, we aim at getting it all right, objectively and subjectively. We want to do what is right and best, with the best intentions, especially wishing to give glory to God.
We must be prepared ourselves to receive correction, and as far as correcting others we must always take the splinter out of our own eye first (Mt 7,5).
We do not consider whether we are better or worse than others; we seek merely to do what is best as our situation requires.
Is the other person sinning? Very likely, yes. Is it a mortal sin, a venial sin? We will not always be able to tell. We do not need to know the full extent of the degree of sin; we simply say that it would be better for everyone to listen to the wisdom of the Church and change our behaviour.
The other person may or may not go to hell for what he is doing. We, for our part, pray for his soul and for all the other related needs. We desire the salvation of all no matter how much we may disapprove of their behaviour.
Do we think we are better than others? Probably we do think it, and we should not.
We have our own sins which may be worse or as bad as theirs.
Instead of judging we encourage each other to find the right way.
Who is worse, who is better, does not matter so much as that we all find mercy.
We can make prudential decisions about whom we mix with. For instance we would not be best friends with criminals.
This is a judgment about what is our best course of action. It is not a condemnation of other people as such, more of a tactical consideration.
We avoid occasion of sin, and this can mean avoiding certain people. We do not want to be exposed to temptation, or our children to be so exposed.
It all comes back to God and what He wants. He must be obeyed, honoured, loved.
The pharisee took comfort in thinking himself better than the publican. He was wrong.
The publican asked for mercy on his own account. He was right.
They both should have asked mercy for themselves and each other. This we do now, here at Mass.
Lord, be merciful to us, sinners.
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