20250913 JUDGEMENT AND JUDGEMENTALISM
13 September 2025, Saturday, 23rd Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
1 Timothy 1:15-17 |
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
Here is a saying that you can rely on and nobody should doubt: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I myself am the greatest of them; and if mercy has been shown to me, it is because Jesus Christ meant to make me the greatest evidence of his inexhaustible patience for all the other people who would later have to trust in him to come to eternal life. To the eternal King, the undying, invisible and only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 112(113):1-7 |
May the name of the Lord be blessed for evermore!
or
Alleluia!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
May the name of the Lord be blessed
both now and for evermore!
May the name of the Lord be blessed for evermore!
or
Alleluia!
From the rising of the sun to its setting
praised be the name of the Lord!
High above all nations is the Lord,
above the heavens his glory.
May the name of the Lord be blessed for evermore!
or
Alleluia!
Who is like the Lord, our God,
who has risen on high to his throne
yet stoops from the heights to look down,
to look down upon heaven and earth?
From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
from the dungheap he raises the poor
May the name of the Lord be blessed for evermore!
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation | Jn14:6 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!
Or: | Jn14:23 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 6:43-49 |
Whoever hears me builds his house on a rock
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.
‘Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord” and not do what I say?
‘Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them – I will show you what he is like. He is like the man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!’
JUDGEMENT AND JUDGEMENTALISM
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 Tim 1:15-17; Ps 113:1-7; Lk 6:43-49]
Jesus said, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.” (Lk 6:37) Many of us take this teaching out of context and conclude that all moral judgements are wrong. This is precisely the stance of advocates of moral relativism, who claim that everything is subjective–it all depends on a person’s motives and circumstances. To say that an action is right or wrong, they argue, is to judge the person. Thus, what is right in one situation can be wrong in another, and vice versa. Moral relativism ultimately leads to pragmatism: doing what is expedient in the moment, without acknowledging that moral principles are eternal.
However, there is a difference between making judgements and being judgemental. A judgemental person is often blind to his own weaknesses. He is quick to see the faults in others but fails to see his own. This was why the Lord said, “Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, ‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye?” (Lk 6:41f) A self-righteous person is blind to his own sins and considers himself superior to others. Worse still is the hypocrisy of condemning others while committing the same faults. St Paul rebuked such behaviour: “Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.” (Rom 2:1)
Jesus is not saying that we cannot judge moral situations or doctrinal truths. Indeed, we must. This is why immediately after teaching His disciples not to judge, Jesus taught them how to judge correctly. An objective judgement can and at times must be made with regard to situations, events and persons. But it must be based on objective facts. Hence, Jesus gave us the analogy of a tree and the fruits it produces: “There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit; people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles.” We are not called to judge hearts or hidden motives, but by a person’s words and actions we can discern his character. As the Lord reminds us, “A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flows out of what fills his heart.”
Still, some people are deceptive. The words and actions may appear kind, but they spring from selfish, self-centred and manipulative motives. Not all nice words and seemingly good actions necessarily prove that the person is good, honest and have a sense of integrity. Often, such behaviour is calculated to win our trust or gain advantage. We all have been cheated and deceived by such people in our lives. This is why it takes time to trust a person. There are some who entrust their lives to another too easily, and they get hurt just as easily too.
So, time will tell whether the person is genuine or not. When we discern whether a person is good or not, it must not just be based on what the person does now, but we need to observe the beginning, the middle and the end. It is constancy in the person’s words and actions that we come to know his character. Reputation can be gained quickly, but true character requires consistency throughout life. This is why Jesus gave us an analogy of a tree because a tree needs time to grow before it can bear fruit. So, when Jesus told us to judge by the fruits the tree produces, He was not simply asking us to judge the tangible facts we see, but whether such fruits are lasting. If a tree bears just a few fruits and dies, it means it is not a genuine tree. In the Parable of the Wheat and Darnel, Jesus warns us against rushing to judgement before time reveals the truth.
How, then, can we make good judgements? Firstly, we must begin with humility, examining our own conscience and conduct daily. The Church encourages us to make an examen three times a day – in the morning, at midday, and in the evening before bed – so that we are in touch with ourselves, our motives, feelings, and our life. Too often, we go through life without reflection, moving from task to task without asking whether God was present in our thoughts, words, and deeds. Without self-knowledge, we risk judging others harshly and without compassion, presuming the worst and attributing evil motives even to innocent actions. We fail to give others the benefit of the doubt or to consider their struggles and circumstances. True judgement must begin with the humble recognition of our own sins (cf. Ps 51:10-13).
St Paul was a forgiving person because he was aware that he was a sinner. He wrote, “Here is a saying that you can rely on and nobody should doubt: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I myself am the greatest of them; and if mercy has been shown to me, it is because Jesus Christ meant to make me the greatest evidence of his inexhaustible patience for all the other people who would later have to trust in him to come to eternal life.” Even after his conversion, he continued to struggle to grow in holiness and integrity. In the letter to the Romans, he wrote, “When I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Rom 7:21-24)
Secondly, we must take reference from the teaching of Christ, applying the Scriptures to our life. Unless we take the Word of God seriously and do it, our lives are founded on sand. St Paul, writing to Timothy, reminded him, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:16) God’s word, faithfully interpreted by the Magisterium, must guide our moral conduct. Some teachings are clear and absolute, and must be followed; others require prudence and charity in application; still others serve as exhortations meant to inspire.
But it is not enough to merely read the Word of God – we must listen to it and live it. Jesus said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I say? Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them is like the man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built.” The truth is that in doing what we have read or heard, we reinforce the Word of God in us. Just listening without putting it into practice will not help us to live an honest life. The Lord said, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Lk 8:21) And then again when someone praised His mother, He answered, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!” (Lk 11:27f) St James also made a similar reminder. “But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.” (Jas 1:22-24) When we live by the Word of God, we confirm its truth in our lives.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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