This Gospel passage gets me every single time. I unfortunately have a judgmental nature and I dislike it. This is one more example of how good our Lord is. He knows us. He knows and speaks to our weaknesses. He doesn’t pretend they don’t exist nor does He let us pretend. He says, “Hey, you do this. Don’t. It has consequences.”
I like that. I like being called out. If I’m pursuing holiness and trying to be close to Jesus’ heart and desirous of having a heart conformed to His, then I need to know what is getting in the way. Judging others is way too easy. It comes from the enemy who wants to divide us and keep us far from Jesus. I don’t understand why it’s such an automatic response. Why do I assume the worst? How can I stop this?
I’ve prayed for years to not be judgmental but I always thought it was my work alone. It wasn’t until I acknowledged to myself and to God that I’m incapable of improving on my own that my heart started softening. I had to first say “I can’t” and pray for the graces to be more charitable. Over time, the Lord has gifted me with reminders to rethink my first response and has prompted me to pray for those I’m inclined to judge. He turned my “I can’t” into “I can, with His help.”
This Gospel passage, which used to fill me with guilt, has now become one of my favorites. It reminds me that God knows me and loves me enough to gently teach me to be more charitable toward others.
Este pasaje del Evangelio me conmueve profundamente cada vez que lo leo. Desafortunadamente, tengo una naturaleza crítica y no me gusta para nada. Este es un ejemplo más de lo bueno que es nuestro Señor. Él nos conoce. Conoce nuestras debilidades y nos habla de ellas. No finge que no existen ni nos permite a nosotros fingir. Nos dice: “Mira, haces esto. No lo hagas. Tiene consecuencias”.
Me gusta eso. Me gusta que me señalen mis errores. Si busco la santidad y trato de estar cerca del corazón de Jesús, deseando tener un corazón semejante al suyo, necesito saber qué me lo impide. Juzgar a los demás es demasiado fácil. Proviene del enemigo, que quiere dividirnos y alejarnos de Jesús. No entiendo por qué es una respuesta tan automática. ¿Por qué asumo lo peor? ¿Cómo puedo dejar de hacerlo?
Durante años oré para no ser crítica, pero siempre pensé que dependía solo de mí. No fue hasta que reconocí ante mí misma y ante Dios que soy incapaz de mejorar por mi cuenta que mi corazón comenzó a ablandarse. Primero tuve que decir “No puedo” y orar para recibir la gracia de ser más caritativa. Con el tiempo, el Señor me ha dado recordatorios para que reconsidere mi primera reacción y me ha impulsado a orar por aquellos a quienes tiendo a juzgar. Convirtió mi “No puedo” en “Puedo, con la ayuda de Dios”.
Este pasaje del Evangelio, que antes me llenaba de culpa, ahora se ha convertido en uno de mis favoritos. Me recuerda que Dios me conoce y me ama lo suficiente como para enseñarme con dulzura a ser más caritativa con los demás.
Merridith Frediani loves words and is delighted by good sentences. She also loves Lake Michigan, dahlias, the first sip of hot coffee in the morning, millennials, and playing Sheepshead with her husband and three kids. She writes for Catholic Mom, new.diocesan.com/, and her local Catholic Herald. Her first book Draw Close to Jesus: A Woman’s Guide to Adoration is available at Our Sunday Visitor and Amazon. You can learn more at merridithfrediani.com.
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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
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