Lenten Meditation

My Dearest Brothers and sisters in Christ:

Book 1 Chapter 14: On Avoiding Hasty Judgments

“Watch over yourself and take care not to judge the actions of others people.”

Why is it so wrong to judge others?  It’s simple. It’s because our judgment is primarily criticism and criticism kills the spirit of the other for our own benefit.  We gain nothing by criticizing others. However, to judge yourself and your own actions is always profitable because in that judgment we are trying to move toward God. When we judge others, we let our emotions guide us and therefore our judgment is not objective and rational.  When we judge others, we try to make them like us; we want them to conform to our will.  How often does judgment lead to opposition and dissention between the parties.  The two begin to have conflict which leads to hatred. And this hatred is destructive to the soul and therefore is sinful.  Unfortunately, we do not know completely what is on their heart nor where they are in their struggles with God. Therefore, our judgment is more likely than not misdirected and can be damaging to their journey.  It should be noted that judgment and advice are not the same.  A person seeking help is not the same as judging a person for the actions. Helping a person through a difficult time is not the same as condemning them for something you think is bad.  When we render aid, we help lift the soul to toward God, but when we judge, we crush the soul of the other for our own benefit.  Judgment is one of those sins like gossip that we find some sort of perverted happiness. It somehow makes us feel better about ourselves.  Therefore it is based in pride. It becomes consuming and can become very difficult to overcome.  This is one of those bad habitats we must break.  When we find ourselves judging another, stop and ask God to open our hearts to free us from this pride and to help us seek humility.

A Simple Prayer

Oh most grateful and merciful Father in Heaven

Help us to love our neighbors more than we love ourselves,

Respecting differences, and embracing our commonalities to find peace among us.

Help us to be your echoes of mercy and whispers of love.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon