Judgement of others.

(I submit this entry both because it was forming in my mind and by way of response to my friend Mrs. Bear)

The greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbor. I propose that by passing judgment and withholding judgment at the appropriate times and toward the appropriate objects we can honor these commands or rather if we act according to these commands we will judge with the kind of wisdom that Mrs. Bear suggests is needed.

 

Concerning judgment of persons: This Monday in the Gospel Jesus tells us not to not judge another person. "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.” Who but God alone can see into the heart and judge? It seems that we fail to judge rightly and so are ourselves committing and injustice when we act upon our judgment in our treatment of that person. We err by either condemning a person or raising them on a pedestal, by unjust condemnation or flattery or envy we ourselves fall into sin. Furthermore we are in no position to judge. Who among us can cast the first stone? True love of neighbor demands that we withhold such judgment and administer mercy and forgiveness instead.

 

On the other hand, every action or behavior will influence us according to how it is perceived. When a person is perceived to be steeling whether or not they actually are guilty can be irrelevant. The act will be judged as worthy or unworthy of imitation. This act within the perceiver is of a moral nature because he is continuously forming or deforming his conscience(1783-1784). God has given us his law on our hearts and through the graces of baptism continues to form us in perfection. We either form our conscience in accordance with God’s law or else use the other person’s behavior to justify our own selfishness. To deface the law written on our hearts by writing in our own law is an act against divine charity. But to cherish what is right is an act of love toward God.

 Ultimately Mrs. Bear's counsel to approach any kind of judgement with prayer and humility is the best most practical advice. The Holy Spirit will give us the grace to love sinners(including ourselves) and the same Holy Spirit will help us to form our conscience rightly. Any thoughts?