Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 371

Stop judging, that you may not be judged.

For as you judge, so will you be judged,

and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.

Jesus' injunction against judging other people flows from his more basic command, "Do not be afraid." When threatened, we feel afraid and make judgments. They might be called assessments or evaluations or critiques but they boil down to serious opinions which govern how we treat one another. Frail and vulnerable as we are, each with a personal history of disappointments, misunderstandings and betrayals, we approach one another warily. Judgments, hardened into opinions and attitudes and often validated by those around us, serve as excuses for shunning, distancing and mistreating other people

But, acting under the impulse of the Holy Spirit and assured of faith, God's people can move confidently in this world. We are under his protection and have less need of suspicious hostility toward others. 

It's a long process, of course, and some people are more gifted than others. With grace, time and maturity, we stop judging as we learn to set fear aside and receive others openly and with trust. In the very act of allowing a benevolent, friendly, confident curiosity about others to govern our behavior, we don't even suppose they might be judging us. When we stop judging we are not judged.

But if we approach others without confidence, with fear of harm, we convey that fear to them and they, in turn, respond with their own judgement. And thus the prophecy is fulfilled; the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.

The Christian invitation is to rest assured of God's protection, and then to approach others with confidence. In fact we are sent as gifts to "make disciples of all nations." Our gift is not our wealth or power, not our technological prowess, nor our democratic philosophy but our willingness to receive, honor, admire, listen to and appreciate others. Evangelization begins with the high esteem we show to others; we see the image of God in strangers.

I knew a talented singer several years ago who suffered with alcoholism. He joined an AA group and they were happy to receive him. But they didn't want to hear him sing. He had a hard time with that. He was was afraid of how they might judge him, but confident they should love his voice. He "got the Program" when he learned to trust the group, and to entrust himself to membership. In the meanwhile he learned to listen to and honor them. 

This dying to self is not terribly difficult. It has to do with forgetting oneself and supporting one's family, company, church, support group, volunteer organization, town, county, state and nation. It is a willingness to participate with the confidence of one who was sent by the Lord to take part. Being sent doesn't mean my ideas are always the right ideas, or that my ideals are the only ones that count. The Christian participates with others like yeast in dough or salt in food. No one can eat yeast or salt alone. Sometimes, if the diners can taste the salt, there was too much in the food. But yeast and salt make a world of difference to good food.  

Full participation also means the willingness to receive the care and concern of others. We bring our brokenness and frailty. We're dependent and dependable. Hyperactive leaders who treat their teammates like assistants and then complain because they get so little help not only break down under the pressure; they fail to build the kingdom of disciples that Jesus described. They are kingdoms of one. You can tell them by their judgments. 

I often recite to the VA patients Jesus' words, 

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

His life without judgments is so much easier. 

Just Six Months till Christmas!