Monday of the Twelfth
Week in Ordinary Time
(II Kings 17:5-8; 13-15a.18; Matthew 7:1-5)
In the early 1930’s an English newspaper called for essays
answering the question, “What’s wrong with the world today?” There were plenty of wrongs with the world at
that time. National economies were in
depression throughout the world.
Communism was gaining popularity all over. Germany was on the verge of
rearming. It is said that G.K.
Chesterton submitted the winning essay consisting of only two words. Chesterton wrote, “I am.”
Chesterton seems to have taken to heart Jesus’ message in
the gospel today. Rather than judge the
wrong-doing of others, his followers are to recognize and correct their
faults. This perspective is not
unreal and much less self-abusive.
Rather, it understands what many come to realize with embarrassment: people
are not as capable as they often claim, and others are not as deficient.
It is not possible to refrain from all judgment. Jesus does not intend us to do so. But our judgments should be considerate of
the conditions in which others live.
They also need to be tentative so that if we are mistaken, the judgment
may be readily corrected.
