Gospel: Luke 6:36-38
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Don’t be a judge of others and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you, and you will receive in your sack good measure, pressed down, full and running over. For the measure you give will be the measure you receive back.”
Reflection:
We, too, are flawed like everyone else.
Judging and condemning are tricky acts. In engaging in either, we often assume we know everything and that we are entirely free from the faults we criticize. For instance, we might judge someone for being late, not realizing that she had to care for a sick child at home before leaving for work. We may condemn and criticize others for their faults, but lo and behold, we are equally guilty of the same or even more serious faults.
In contrast, the Father can be both merciful and a judge because He knows everything about us - our nooks and crannies, as well as the circumstances and contexts that shape who we are and how we act. Nothing is hidden from His all-knowing gaze.
Refraining from judging or condemning implicitly acknowledges that our knowledge is limited and that we, too, are flawed like everyone else. Moreover, to forgive and give reflects the Father, who sees his creation with perfect understanding and love.
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