Reading
Matthew 7:1-5
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Comment
Jesus' exhortation not to judge does not consist in not recognizing the errors of others, but in not judging them in an arrogant way, ignoring the fallibility and the very weakness of those who judge. The disciple is therefore called to discernment, with righteousness and prudence. A little further on, in fact, Jesus warns the disciples of false prophets and invites them to judge them by their fruits (Mt 7:15); while in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus reproaches the ability to know how to evaluate the meteorological signs but not to be able to recognize the signs of the times, judging what is right (Lk 12,54-56).
The Greek verb relating to observing the sawdust, blepo, simply indicates "to see", we could say "to look", which is a more superficial action than "to see carefully", indicated by the verb diablepo, in reference to noticing the plank. The capacity for a correct judgment depends on knowing how to discern the human soul in depth. Therefore, Jesus invites us not to judge according to appearances (cf. Jn 7:24), because only God can judge man's heart and deep intentions.
The appellation of "hypocrite", previously addressed to the scribes and Pharisees, is now addressed to the disciple who is concerned about the errors of others, even if small (the sawdust), ignoring his own, much larger ones (the beam). Showing zeal for the correction of others and permissiveness towards oneself puts us out of the mercy of God that will be offered to us in the measure with which we measure our neighbor (v. 1).
Accepting others for what they are and not for what we would like them to be, and recognizing ourselves for what we are, is the starting point for a journey of spiritual growth. Only by starting from the truth of our falls and our wounds will we be able to make room, in ourselves and in others, for the gift of grace that justifies and makes holy in the eyes of God.
Prayer
Give us, o Lord, the humility to recognize the truth of our fragile human condition; so that we can judge with righteousness and mercy. Amen.
- Rev. Dr. Luca Vona
