Judge Not, But Love
Part 1: Scripture Readings
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
1 Corinthians 9:16–19, 22b–27
Brothers and sisters: If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach, I offer the gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
Although I am free in relation to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.
Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.
The Word of the Lord
R/ Praise to you, Lord
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke...
Luke 6:39–42
At that time, Jesus told his disciples a parable:
"Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher, but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,' when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite!
Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye."
The Gospel of the Lord.
R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
The Breakdown – Teach it!
- The Core Principle: Self-Examination Over Condemnation
The central theme running through these passages is the call to examine our own hearts before attempting, or thinking we have the authority, to correct others.
Jesus lays it out three different ways, in fact – thats how important it was to Him that we learn it.
People, that is, human beings, have this inordinate desire, this internal compulsion to judge and condemn others – for what they are for what they do. Its almost an illness, if we are honest.
However, instead of focusing on the faults of those around us, the Gospel, especially, invites us to lok within ourselves, pursue personal transformation, authentic witness, and the spiritual discipline that would stop us BEFORE we got into, "judgement mode."
Lesson 1: The Trap of Hypocritical Judgment
Self-Examination Before Correction: Jesus directly addresses our tendency to act as inquisitors over others while ignoring our own serious faults. He makes it very clear: correcting someone while blind to your own flaws makes you a hypocrite.
The Danger of Presuming Divine Authority: Christians, especially, often judge and condemn others in a very insincere way – claiming they do it, "in the name of God."
But wait! God did not appoint you, me, or any of us to be judges. What he did was call us to bring souls closer to Him, not drive them away with out phony pretending of caring for them. Pope Francis exemplified this when he was when asked about people some had deemed "fringe groups," people whom they marginalized:
"Who am I to judge them, if we are all children of God?"
In short God wil do the judging - not us.
The Root of Criticism: So why do we do this, judging and condemning others according to our own ideas...while claiming to be caring human beings, or Christians?
Simple: Bitter, hurt people often inflict pain on others.
Did you get that? It comes from our own internal conflicts, our own unresolved ugliness.
By contrast, those who are truly happy and living in God's peace do not spend their time condemning others, for two reasons....
A. They dont build themselves up into a position of judgement over others.
B. They are more focused on living faithfully, wanting to help others help themselves out of love for their fellows.
Lesson 2: The Path to Authentic Witness
Holiness Over Harshness: Correcting a brother or sister requires genuine holiness and love—not self-righteousness.
Unfortunately, very few of us are that holy in our own spiritual growth,... instead, we punish what we deem to be someone else's failures. We tell ourselves "we got it,"...but that's where it starts to fall apart. You wont find any of the saints who thought they had that authority.
Preaching by Example: St. Paul reminds us that preaching is a duty to be done with humility. We must run the spiritual race with discipline, training ourselves so that we are not disqualified at the eternal "finish line..." after teaching others.
Gentle Restoration: There is a right way to help someone who is failing, but it requires approaching them with mercy and love, seeking reconciliation rather than destruction. Christ commanded us to love God, first, and our fellow human beings next.
That kind of love is not judging or condemning, although I often hear those who tell themseves they do it for love.
Part 3: Reflection & Application Questions
Examine Your Motivations:
When you feel compelled to point out someone else's mistake, are you acting out of genuine love and holiness, or self-righteousness?
Are you fooling yourself in this way?
Identify Your "Wooden Beam":
What personal blind spots prevent you from seeing clearly and acting with true compassion?
Practice Self-Discipline:
How can you apply St. Paul's lesson of training your body and heart so that your daily life reflects the gospel you speak?
Part 4: Concluding Blessing
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in t
he beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
May Almighty God bless you: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, protect us always.
The Breakdown – Teach it!
- The Core Principle: Self-Examination Over Condemnation
The central theme running through these passages is the call to examine our own hearts before attempting, or thinking we have the authority, to correct others.
Jesus lays it out three different ways, in fact – thats how important it was to Him that we learn it.
People, that is, human beings, have this inordinate desire, this internal compulsion to judge and condemn others – for what they are for what they do. Its almost an illness, if we are honest.
However, instead of focusing on the faults of those around us, the Gospel, especially, invites us to lok within ourselves, pursue personal transformation, authentic witness, and the spiritual discipline that would stop us BEFORE we got into, "judgement mode."
Lesson 1: The Trap of Hypocritical Judgment
Self-Examination Before Correction: Jesus directly addresses our tendency to act as inquisitors over others while ignoring our own serious faults. He makes it very clear: correcting someone while blind to your own flaws makes you a hypocrite.
The Danger of Presuming Divine Authority: Christians, especially, often judge and condemn others in a very insincere way – by claiming they do it, "in the name of God."
But wait! God did not appoint you, me, or any of us to be judges. What he did was call us to bring souls closer to Him, not drive them away with out phony pretending of care for them. Pope Francis exemplified this when he was when asked about people some had deemed "fringe groups," people whom they marginalized:
"Who am I to judge them, if we are all children of God?"
In short God wil do the judging - not us.
The Root of Criticism: So why do we do this, judging and condemning others according to our own ideas...while claiming to be caring human beings, or Christians?
Simple: Bitter, hurt people often inflict pain on others. Did you get that? It comes frmo our own internal conflict, our own unresolved ugliness.
By contrast, those who are truly happy and living in God's peace do not spend their time condemning others, for two reasons....
A. They dont build themselves up to think that they are in a position to judge others.
B. They are more focused on living faithfully, wanting to help others help themselves out of love for their fellows.
Lesson 2: The Path to Authentic Witness
Holiness Over Harshness: Correcting a brother or sister requires genuine holiness and love—not self-righteousness.
Unfortunately, very few of us are that holy, working on our own spiritual growth,... instead of punishing what we deem to be someone else's failures. We tell ourselves "we got it,"...but that's where it starts to fall apart. You wont find any of the saints who thought they had that authority.
Preaching by Example: St. Paul reminds us that preaching is a duty to be done with humility. We must run the spiritual race with discipline, training ourselves so that we are not disqualified at the eternal "finish line..." after teaching others.
Gentle Restoration: There is a right way to help someone who is failing, but it requires approaching them with mercy and love, seeking reconciliation rather than destruction. Christ commanded us to love God, first, and our fellow human beings next. That kind of love is not judging or condemning, although folks often tell themseves they do it for love.
Part 3: Reflection & Application Questions
Examine Your Motivations:
When you feel compelled to point out someone else's mistake, are you acting out of genuine love and holiness, or self-righteousness?
Are you fooling yourself in this way?
Identify Your "Wooden Beam":
What personal blind spots prevent you from seeing clearly and acting with true compassion?
Practice Self-Discipline:
How can you apply St. Paul's lesson of training your body and heart so that your daily life reflects the gospel you speak?
Part 4: Concluding Blessing
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
May Almighty God bless you: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, protect us always.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
1 Corinthians 9:16–19, 22b–27
Brothers and sisters: If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach, I offer the gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
Although I am free in relation to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.
Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.
The Word of the Lord
R/ Praise to you, Lord
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke...
Luke 6:39–42
At that time, Jesus told his disciples a parable:
"Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher, but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,' when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite!
Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye."
The Gospel of the Lord.
R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
The Breakdown – Teach it!
- The Core Principle: Self-Examination Over Condemnation
The central theme running through these passages is the call to examine our own hearts before attempting, or thinking we have the authority, to correct others.
Jesus lays it out three different ways, in fact – thats how important it was to Him that we learn it.
People, that is, human beings, have this inordinate desire, this internal compulsion to judge and condemn others – for what they are for what they do. Its almost an illness, if we are honest.
However, instead of focusing on the faults of those around us, the Gospel, especially, invites us to lok within ourselves, pursue personal transformation, authentic witness, and the spiritual discipline that would stop us BEFORE we got into, "judgement mode."
Lesson 1: The Trap of Hypocritical Judgment
Self-Examination Before Correction: Jesus directly addresses our tendency to act as inquisitors over others while ignoring our own serious faults. He makes it very clear: correcting someone while blind to your own flaws makes you a hypocrite.
The Danger of Presuming Divine Authority: Christians, especially, often judge and condemn others in a very insincere way – claiming they do it, "in the name of God."
But wait! God did not appoint you, me, or any of us to be judges. What he did was call us to bring souls closer to Him, not drive them away with out phony pretending of caring for them. Pope Francis exemplified this when he was when asked about people some had deemed "fringe groups," people whom they marginalized:
"Who am I to judge them, if we are all children of God?"
In short God wil do the judging - not us.
The Root of Criticism: So why do we do this, judging and condemning others according to our own ideas...while claiming to be caring human beings, or Christians?
Simple: Bitter, hurt people often inflict pain on others.
Did you get that? It comes from our own internal conflicts, our own unresolved ugliness.
By contrast, those who are truly happy and living in God's peace do not spend their time condemning others, for two reasons....
A. They dont build themselves up into a position of judgement over others.
B. They are more focused on living faithfully, wanting to help others help themselves out of love for their fellows.
Lesson 2: The Path to Authentic Witness
Holiness Over Harshness: Correcting a brother or sister requires genuine holiness and love—not self-righteousness.
Unfortunately, very few of us are that holy in our own spiritual growth,... instead, we punish what we deem to be someone else's failures. We tell ourselves "we got it,"...but that's where it starts to fall apart. You wont find any of the saints who thought they had that authority.
Preaching by Example: St. Paul reminds us that preaching is a duty to be done with humility. We must run the spiritual race with discipline, training ourselves so that we are not disqualified at the eternal "finish line..." after teaching others.
Gentle Restoration: There is a right way to help someone who is failing, but it requires approaching them with mercy and love, seeking reconciliation rather than destruction. Christ commanded us to love God, first, and our fellow human beings next.
That kind of love is not judging or condemning, although I often hear those who tell themseves they do it for love.
Part 3: Reflection & Application Questions
Examine Your Motivations:
When you feel compelled to point out someone else's mistake, are you acting out of genuine love and holiness, or self-righteousness?
Are you fooling yourself in this way?
Identify Your "Wooden Beam":
What personal blind spots prevent you from seeing clearly and acting with true compassion?
Practice Self-Discipline:
How can you apply St. Paul's lesson of training your body and heart so that your daily life reflects the gospel you speak?
Part 4: Concluding Blessing
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in t
he beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
May Almighty God bless you: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, protect us always.
The Breakdown – Teach it!
- The Core Principle: Self-Examination Over Condemnation
The central theme running through these passages is the call to examine our own hearts before attempting, or thinking we have the authority, to correct others.
Jesus lays it out three different ways, in fact – thats how important it was to Him that we learn it.
People, that is, human beings, have this inordinate desire, this internal compulsion to judge and condemn others – for what they are for what they do. Its almost an illness, if we are honest.
However, instead of focusing on the faults of those around us, the Gospel, especially, invites us to lok within ourselves, pursue personal transformation, authentic witness, and the spiritual discipline that would stop us BEFORE we got into, "judgement mode."
Lesson 1: The Trap of Hypocritical Judgment
Self-Examination Before Correction: Jesus directly addresses our tendency to act as inquisitors over others while ignoring our own serious faults. He makes it very clear: correcting someone while blind to your own flaws makes you a hypocrite.
The Danger of Presuming Divine Authority: Christians, especially, often judge and condemn others in a very insincere way – by claiming they do it, "in the name of God."
But wait! God did not appoint you, me, or any of us to be judges. What he did was call us to bring souls closer to Him, not drive them away with out phony pretending of care for them. Pope Francis exemplified this when he was when asked about people some had deemed "fringe groups," people whom they marginalized:
"Who am I to judge them, if we are all children of God?"
In short God wil do the judging - not us.
The Root of Criticism: So why do we do this, judging and condemning others according to our own ideas...while claiming to be caring human beings, or Christians?
Simple: Bitter, hurt people often inflict pain on others. Did you get that? It comes frmo our own internal conflict, our own unresolved ugliness.
By contrast, those who are truly happy and living in God's peace do not spend their time condemning others, for two reasons....
A. They dont build themselves up to think that they are in a position to judge others.
B. They are more focused on living faithfully, wanting to help others help themselves out of love for their fellows.
Lesson 2: The Path to Authentic Witness
Holiness Over Harshness: Correcting a brother or sister requires genuine holiness and love—not self-righteousness.
Unfortunately, very few of us are that holy, working on our own spiritual growth,... instead of punishing what we deem to be someone else's failures. We tell ourselves "we got it,"...but that's where it starts to fall apart. You wont find any of the saints who thought they had that authority.
Preaching by Example: St. Paul reminds us that preaching is a duty to be done with humility. We must run the spiritual race with discipline, training ourselves so that we are not disqualified at the eternal "finish line..." after teaching others.
Gentle Restoration: There is a right way to help someone who is failing, but it requires approaching them with mercy and love, seeking reconciliation rather than destruction. Christ commanded us to love God, first, and our fellow human beings next. That kind of love is not judging or condemning, although folks often tell themseves they do it for love.
Part 3: Reflection & Application Questions
Examine Your Motivations:
When you feel compelled to point out someone else's mistake, are you acting out of genuine love and holiness, or self-righteousness?
Are you fooling yourself in this way?
Identify Your "Wooden Beam":
What personal blind spots prevent you from seeing clearly and acting with true compassion?
Practice Self-Discipline:
How can you apply St. Paul's lesson of training your body and heart so that your daily life reflects the gospel you speak?
Part 4: Concluding Blessing
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
May Almighty God bless you: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, protect us always.
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