Do not judge - Sept 4
“Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time.” 1Cor 4:5
Abba Poemen said to Abba Joseph, ‘Tell me how to become a monk.’ He said, ‘If you want to find rest here below, and hereafter, in all circumstances say, Who am I? and do not judge anyone.
One of the more intriguing books I’ve read in the last year is “Do Not Judge Anyone” Desert Wisdom for a Polarized World by Isaac Slater, OCSO [That’s Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, or the Trappists.] The author finds in the desert fathers a community that took seriously Jesus’ instruction of “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” (Mt 7:1)
Judging others is such a basic instinct we do it without thinking. “Common sense” seems to demand that we judge others. This instruction to not judge seems so counterintuitive and it deprives us of some of our dark pleasures. So often this judgement comes in the form of comparing our selves to others and seeing the other as lesser.
“The kind of ‘judgment’ we must renounce, I would argue, is characterized by condemnation, exclusion used as a way to boost our own esteem. Increasingly attached to this kind of judgment we rationalize our outrage like an addict justifying his need for another fix.” (p. xiii)
Christ’s unconditional mercy shown to us all provides the corrective lens through which we should be looking at each other. Seeing others through mercy and not judgement changes how we relate to them. Along with this mercy the desert fathers emphasize the centrality of our humility. Having a truly humble understanding of our own increases our capacity for compassion shown to others.
A deep awareness of Christ’s mercy and our compassionate humility is fostered in a heart that is stilled, open, and attentive. And in this place we say, “Who am I?” and we do not judge anyone.