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.
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. Judging is
an unavoidable and indispensable operation of our intellect that is
meant to know people and things in general.
So, we just have to learn to judge fairly, because that
Christian injunction not to judge people refers more to when we judge
people rashly or unfairly. It does not mean that we should not judge
at all, because that would be impossible and would directly go against
our God-given nature.
To judge people fairly, we need to see to it that charity
always prevails. And this can begin by always thinking well of
everyone. The reason for this is simply the fact that we are all
children of God. We are all object of his divine love that goes all
the way to saving us from our sin by God becoming man and that
God-man, Jesus Christ, accomplishing our redemption by bearing all our
sins on the cross.
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.
We all should strive to be persons of sound judgment. It’s
an ideal whose importance, relevance and urgency are increasing these
days, given the complicating conditions we are getting into.
Let’s realize that we can only see, judge and know persons,
events and things properly when we have a vibrant interior or
spiritual life, a vital link not only with theories and principles,
but with God himself.
This is how wisdom is acquired, nourished and kept. This is
how we can counsel others properly, seconding the will and ways of God
in everything that happens in our life.
Let’s never dare to emit judgments that are mere products of
our own making. We have to make them always in the presence of God and
motivated by nothing other than love for God and for everybody else.
We have to continually check on the rectitude of our intention, and
the correctness and timeliness of our words and deeds.
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