By Fr. Roy Cimagala
“Judge not that you may not be judged.” (Mt 7,1) We have to understand these words of Christ well. It does not mean that we should not judge at all. In fact, in the succeeding verse of the gospel passage, Christ said: “For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged. And with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
In fact, in the gospel of St. John, we hear Christ saying: “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge just judgment.” (7,24) It’s clear that we have to be most careful in our judgments. We cannot be reckless about them, judging persons and things on the basis of instincts or feelings alone, or on some opinions, personal preferences, social trends, and even sophisticated theories and ideologies.
What is clear is that whatever judgment we make, which is an unavoidable act we do all the time actually, it should be done properly, that is to say, to judge the way Christ himself would judge persons and things. We should shun making rash judgments. Judging is an unavoidable and indispensable operation of our intellect that is meant to know people and things in general.
So, we just have to learn to judge fairly, because that Christian injunction not to judge people refers more to when we judge people rashly or unfairly. It does not mean that we should not judge at all, because that would be impossible and would directly go against our God-given nature.
To judge people fairly, we need to see to it that charity always prevails. And this can begin by always thinking well of everyone. The reason for this is simply the fact that we are all children of God. We are all object of his divine love that goes all the way to saving us from our sin by God becoming man and that God-man, Jesus Christ, accomplishing our redemption by bearing all our sins on the cross.
Christ, who is the pattern of our humanity and the restorer of our damaged humanity, was always judging. He could even read minds of the people. That is why he many times was moved to compassion and mercy when he saw people in some state of misery, and at other times, to anger also when he saw people bristling with self-righteousness. All these reactions of Christ are a result of judgment.
We all should strive to be persons of sound judgment. It’s an ideal whose importance, relevance and urgency are increasing these days, given the complicating conditions we are getting into.
Let’s realize that we can only see, judge and know persons, events and things properly when we have a vibrant interior or spiritual life, a vital link not only with theories and principles, but with God himself.
This is how wisdom is acquired, nourished and kept. This is how we can counsel others properly, seconding the will and ways of God in everything that happens in our life.
Let’s never dare to emit judgments that are mere products of our own making. We have to make them always in the presence of God and motivated by nothing other than love for God and for everybody else. We have to continually check on the rectitude of our intention, and the correctness and timeliness of our words and deeds.
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com
