In the first reading today we find ourselves in Genesis 12. We see the LORD telling Abram, “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.” So at the tender age of 75, Abram departs. In the Gospel from Matthew 7, Jesus says, “Stop judging, that you may not be judged.”
Is it just me, or does it seem that this is one of the most quoted passages in Scripture these days? In these days of moral relativism, everyone wants to do their own thing. And invariably, when they wish to do what is wrong in the sight of God, and others call them on it, the first thing we hear is “Judge not lest you be judged!” In other words no one is allowed to say that anything is wrong any more. If we stand up for traditional marriage, the lives of the unborn, defending the innocent, we are immediately labeled as judgemental bigots.
Let’s get something straight about this saying of Jesus. Jesus did not mean that we may not judge the ACTIONS of people. If taken to this illogical conclusion, why would we have laws or courts or JUDGES? We can, in fact we MUST judge the actions of people. There are rules and laws that must be followed. Paramount among these are the laws of God. Legal abortion, homosexual “marriage” and embryonic stem cell research are all things that go against the laws of God. We have a responsibility to judge these things. What we cannot do is judge the hearts of people. Only they and God know where their hearts are. Let us pray that ours are in the right place.
Father, give us a proper sense of judgment. Help us to discern right from wrong, and leave the final judgment of souls up to you. Amen.
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