We are reminded that we need to ask for and acquire the grace of spiritual insight as we make our spiritual growth journey. We all have the natural instinct to judge, even without knowing the facts. This is the reason Jesus calls our attention in today’s gospel, not to judge others but to love them. Mother Teresa once said, “If you judge people, you don’t have the time to love them.”
Sure, it is true. We all have fallen into such trap. Our minds naturally scan for the negative, but if we try, we can almost always find something good about another person. It is easy to see the splinter in someone’s eyes and not the wooden beam in our eyes. Judging someone does not define who they are; it defines who you are. It is always difficult to examine oneself. This requires spiritual vision.
We have been given a spiritual insight called Grace. Inspiration insight to see in the light of Christ. The grace makes us grow and be transparent with our God and in our decision-making process. This spiritual insight is often the road to sainthood. Having that spiritual vision is what we called the Amazing Grace: ‘ Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.’
Pope Francis warned, “you shall be judged with the same measure” therefore, the Pope asks us to look in the mirror:
“Look in the mirror, but not to put on makeup to hide the wrinkles. No, no, no, that’s not the advice! Look in the mirror to look at yourself as you are. ‘Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye and do not notice the log that is in your own eye?’ Or, how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is still in your eye? And how does the Lord look at us when we do this? One word: ‘hypocrite.’ First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” That is why being judgmental is very ugly. Judgment belongs only to God, to Him alone.” It is for us to “love,” to “understand, to pray for others when we see things that are not good.” The Pope invites us to talk kindly to others so that they may learn from their mistakes: “But never judge. Never. If we judge, this is hypocrisy.”
The grace of spiritual insight helps us to see things differently, to see things as God wants us to see them. With God’s amazing grace and spiritual insight, we can make the words of Richard of Chichester ours, to see more clearly, love more dearly, follow God more nearly, day by day. Have a wonderful week.
