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Stop Judging
We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. We have not obeyed your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land.
Justice, O Lord, is on your side;
O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you. But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!
I find this first reading today resonates with me. I often feel that this is what I say too often to God. I am shamefaced at my sins, and I seek his forgiveness. Then when I think of the gospel, I find that in addition to this, I find myself judging others all too often.
And there is an interesting thing about judging. Often we judge others for doing the very things we do not like in our own life. Rather than seek God’s forgiveness, admit our own faults and failings, we can find it easier to focus our own attention on others. We hold others to a standard we do not hold ourselves to in our lives.
Our hearts and souls are only able to receive God’s forgiveness to the degree we are willing to forgive others. “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” “Stop judging and you will not be judged.” “Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.” “Forgive and you will be forgiven.”
Ok. So we know what it is we must do. So we know have to do it.
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