Daily Retreat 10/17/07
2007 Oct 17 Wed: Ignatius of Antioch, bp, mt M
Rom 2: 1-11/ Ps 61(62): 2-3. 6-7. 9/ Lk 11: 42-46
From today’s readings: “By the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself.... Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.... Woe to you Pharisees - you pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God....”
To Judge or Not To Judge
Even in the Old, but especially in the New Testament, the maxim "Do not judge others!" is a point reiterated several times. Paul's words in the first reading are an elaboration of the command given by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (cf. Matthew 7:1).
No one needs an explanation why this warning is repeated so often and so explicitly in the Bible - the temptation to judge others is so common in human nature! Surely no one reading this (even less so the one writing) can boast that the reminder does not apply personally. Yet the logic is so simple and irrefutable: when you and I judge others, we are calling down judgement upon ourselves - to assert that we spot error and wrong in others is to imply that we should first be able to recognize error and wrong in ourselves.
Nevertheless, this does not mean that we should ever muffle the distinction between good and evil by rebutting the warnings of reason and conscience with the adage, "I cannot judge." To assert that "stealing is a sin" is not to judge in the perilous, self- righteous sense condemned in the Bible. But to point fingers in particular cases, to assume evil motives, to ignore mitigating circumstances, and to assign a punishment in our thoughts is to judge others, and let us hope that the timely scriptural warning will help you and me to avoid that a bit more in our lives!
Rom 2: 1-11/ Ps 61(62): 2-3. 6-7. 9/ Lk 11: 42-46
From today’s readings: “By the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself.... Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.... Woe to you Pharisees - you pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God....”
To Judge or Not To Judge
Even in the Old, but especially in the New Testament, the maxim "Do not judge others!" is a point reiterated several times. Paul's words in the first reading are an elaboration of the command given by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (cf. Matthew 7:1).
No one needs an explanation why this warning is repeated so often and so explicitly in the Bible - the temptation to judge others is so common in human nature! Surely no one reading this (even less so the one writing) can boast that the reminder does not apply personally. Yet the logic is so simple and irrefutable: when you and I judge others, we are calling down judgement upon ourselves - to assert that we spot error and wrong in others is to imply that we should first be able to recognize error and wrong in ourselves.
Nevertheless, this does not mean that we should ever muffle the distinction between good and evil by rebutting the warnings of reason and conscience with the adage, "I cannot judge." To assert that "stealing is a sin" is not to judge in the perilous, self- righteous sense condemned in the Bible. But to point fingers in particular cases, to assume evil motives, to ignore mitigating circumstances, and to assign a punishment in our thoughts is to judge others, and let us hope that the timely scriptural warning will help you and me to avoid that a bit more in our lives!
posted by FrPitstick | 10/15/2007
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