We have to understand the words of
Christ well when he
said; “Judge not that you may not be judged. (Mt 7,1) It does not mean
that we should not judge at all. In fact, in the succeeding verse of
the gospel passage, he said: “For with what judgment you judge, you
shall be judged. And with what measure you mete, it shall be measured
to you again.”
What is clear is that whatever judgment we make, which is
an unavoidable act we do all the time actually, it should be done
properly, that is to say, to judge the way Christ himself would judge
persons and things. We should shun making rash judgments.
Christ, who is the pattern of our humanity and the
restorer of our damaged humanity, was always judging. He could even
read minds of the people. That is why he many times was moved to
compassion and mercy when he saw people in some state of misery, and
at other times, to anger also when he saw people bristling with
self-righteousness. All these reactions of Christ are a result of
judgment.
In fact, in the gospel of St. John, we hear Christ saying:
“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge just judgment.”
(7,24)
It’s clear that we have to be most careful in our
judgments. We cannot be reckless about them, judging persons and
things on the basis of instincts or feelings alone, or on some
opinions, personal preferences, social trends, and even sophisticated
theories and ideologies.
Such way of judging cannot capture the essential issues
involved in a particular case. It will unavoidably get entangled with
the non-essential elements. It will be at the mercy of the wiles of
the flesh, the world and the devil himself.
We have to judge with Christ himself, and now in the Holy
Spirit. With respect to this point, St. Paul had this to say: “He that
is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”
(1 Cor 2,15) It is not pride to aspire to that ideal of being so
spiritual to be able to judge all things.
Such judgment will always be fair. It goes beyond the
peripherals and appearances of things, and enters into the crux of the
issue. Such judgment will always be done in the truth and charity, in
justice and mercy, in fortitude and patience.
Such judgment will go beyond but not necessarily against
the merely human and worldly standards and criteria. It goes much
further than our legal and judicial systems. It will reflect the
proper hierarchy of priorities, based on the eternal law of God, the
creator of everything and of everyone.
We should not be surprised if such judgment will clash
with the worldly way of judging. This should be a given. If we look at
Christ, the supreme judge, he ended up crucified for all the judgments
he made. If we try to judge the way Christ judges, we should expect
misunderstanding and conflicts.
But we should be at peace just the same. Let’s always
remember what Christ said: “In the world you shall have tribulation.
But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16,33) Let us
just convince ourselves always that to suffer with Christ is always
worthwhile.
To develop and make such judgment will obviously be a most
tricky and delicate task. It requires nothing less than a living union
with Christ who actually gives himself abundantly to us if we just
care to be aware of him and to receive him fully in our life.
We are actually left with his word and example, with his
Church and the sacraments, with the living witnesses of the many holy
men and women who reflected Christ’s way of judging through the ages.
We have all the resources we need to make proper judgments.
We just need to put our mind and heart in learning how to
judge properly. We should constantly be with Christ in making judgment
and never dare to judge simply on our own estimation of things.
Learning to judge properly, I suppose, would require
utmost humility on our part. It would urge us to practice some kind of
healthy restraint and moderation. It certainly would ask us not to be
afraid to suffer if judging persons and things with Christ would put
us to some disadvantage according to human and worldly terms.
But we have hone up our eagerness to study the doctrine of
our faith and the very life of Christ himself as depicted in the
gospel and in the living teaching of the Church.
said; “Judge not that you may not be judged. (Mt 7,1) It does not mean
that we should not judge at all. In fact, in the succeeding verse of
the gospel passage, he said: “For with what judgment you judge, you
shall be judged. And with what measure you mete, it shall be measured
to you again.”
What is clear is that whatever judgment we make, which is
an unavoidable act we do all the time actually, it should be done
properly, that is to say, to judge the way Christ himself would judge
persons and things. We should shun making rash judgments.
Christ, who is the pattern of our humanity and the
restorer of our damaged humanity, was always judging. He could even
read minds of the people. That is why he many times was moved to
compassion and mercy when he saw people in some state of misery, and
at other times, to anger also when he saw people bristling with
self-righteousness. All these reactions of Christ are a result of
judgment.
In fact, in the gospel of St. John, we hear Christ saying:
“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge just judgment.”
(7,24)
It’s clear that we have to be most careful in our
judgments. We cannot be reckless about them, judging persons and
things on the basis of instincts or feelings alone, or on some
opinions, personal preferences, social trends, and even sophisticated
theories and ideologies.
Such way of judging cannot capture the essential issues
involved in a particular case. It will unavoidably get entangled with
the non-essential elements. It will be at the mercy of the wiles of
the flesh, the world and the devil himself.
We have to judge with Christ himself, and now in the Holy
Spirit. With respect to this point, St. Paul had this to say: “He that
is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”
(1 Cor 2,15) It is not pride to aspire to that ideal of being so
spiritual to be able to judge all things.
Such judgment will always be fair. It goes beyond the
peripherals and appearances of things, and enters into the crux of the
issue. Such judgment will always be done in the truth and charity, in
justice and mercy, in fortitude and patience.
Such judgment will go beyond but not necessarily against
the merely human and worldly standards and criteria. It goes much
further than our legal and judicial systems. It will reflect the
proper hierarchy of priorities, based on the eternal law of God, the
creator of everything and of everyone.
We should not be surprised if such judgment will clash
with the worldly way of judging. This should be a given. If we look at
Christ, the supreme judge, he ended up crucified for all the judgments
he made. If we try to judge the way Christ judges, we should expect
misunderstanding and conflicts.
But we should be at peace just the same. Let’s always
remember what Christ said: “In the world you shall have tribulation.
But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16,33) Let us
just convince ourselves always that to suffer with Christ is always
worthwhile.
To develop and make such judgment will obviously be a most
tricky and delicate task. It requires nothing less than a living union
with Christ who actually gives himself abundantly to us if we just
care to be aware of him and to receive him fully in our life.
We are actually left with his word and example, with his
Church and the sacraments, with the living witnesses of the many holy
men and women who reflected Christ’s way of judging through the ages.
We have all the resources we need to make proper judgments.
We just need to put our mind and heart in learning how to
judge properly. We should constantly be with Christ in making judgment
and never dare to judge simply on our own estimation of things.
Learning to judge properly, I suppose, would require
utmost humility on our part. It would urge us to practice some kind of
healthy restraint and moderation. It certainly would ask us not to be
afraid to suffer if judging persons and things with Christ would put
us to some disadvantage according to human and worldly terms.
But we have hone up our eagerness to study the doctrine of
our faith and the very life of Christ himself as depicted in the
gospel and in the living teaching of the Church.
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