Scripture for
meditation: Matthew 5:7
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Scripture for
reflection: Luke 6:38
“Give and gifts will be given to you; a good
measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into
your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out
to you.”
Fr. Michael
Gaitley tells us: When we assume an attitude of judgment toward
another, a gap yawns between us and them, and we can’t connect. This is a
diabolical attitude that stems from pride. It’s subtle, but it does more damage
to the heart than sins of the flesh – the very same sins over which it often
sits in judgment. Do I see myself as
superior to others? Do I look down on particular groups of people because of
their race, opinions, or ways of life? Do I impute motives to the actions of
others, or do I leave such judgments to God? Am I quick to judge priests and
bishops, or do I leave them, especially, to God’s judgment? Do I pray for
priests and bishops? Do I tend to make rash judgments of others? In other
words, do I assume as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral faults of
others? Do I realize rash judgment is grave matter when it rashly judges acts
that are grave? To avoid rash judgment, am I careful, as the Catechism says, “to interpret, insofar
as possible, [my] neighbor’s thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way”? Am
I insecure in my own life of faith and judge others out of a need to feel
righteous? Or, while striving for holiness, do I recognize my own weaknesses,
sinfulness, and attachments and go to Jesus, whom I know is rich in mercy? Do I
relate to the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son (Lk 15:11-32)?
(Consoling the Heart of Jesus, Marian Press, 2011)
Prayer: Oh my Jesus, I
beg You on behalf of the whole Church: grant it love and the light of Your
Spirit, and give power to the words of priests so that hardened hearts might be
brought to repentance and return to You, O Lord. Lord, give us holy priests;
You Yourself maintain them in holiness. O Divine and Great High Priest, may the
power of Your mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil’s
traps and snares which are continually being set for the souls of priests. May
the power of Your mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might
tarnish the sanctity of priests, for You can do all things (Diary of St.
Faustina, 1052)
My
thoughts: I think we have entered into a dangerous period in history. Because news
is so readily available and so easily spread, I think we are becoming a people
addicted to judging. People are tried and convicted in the court of public
opinion every day. An attitude of superiority invades the workplace so that
co-workers’ mistakes or misfortunes are mocked and ridiculed. Anyone in the
public eye who makes the slightest mistake is raked over the coals and
subjected to extreme levels of scorn. We
must beware of this terrible sin, for as Fr. Gaitley points out, it stems from
the deadly sin of pride. We are no
better than the man we look down upon. Our sins may even be worse. Our job in
life to approach everyone with the mercy we hope and pray God will extend to us
when we die. If we only knew the ramifications of our littlest sins, we would
be horrified, for we affect the world, our families and our souls with every
sin we commit. So why waste time trying to feel better about ourselves by
condemning others? Why constantly compare ourselves to black, when we should
compare ourselves to white (Christ)? Do that, and at best we come out a dingy
shade of gray. Let us start today to have mercy on everyone, to hold our
comments unless they are compassionate and understanding, and to try ourselves
every day in the court of righteousness and love. As Blessed Mother Teresa
says, “If you take time to judge, you don’t have time to love.”
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