February 26, 2018

JUDGING:

THE SECOND MOMENT

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 2^nd Monday in Lent is, “Judging: The Second Moment.”

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s gospel triggers thoughts about judging.

That’s an issue we worry about at times. It’s a feeling  of shame when we mis-judged or judged another human being.

When preparing for confession, we think and worry about sins of judging others.

We know it’s none of our business, yet we judge others - and we confess doing just that.

AS TIME GOES ON WE GATHER NUANCES ABOUT JUDGING

As time goes on,  hopefully we gather nuances and thoughts and  understanding about judging others.

Let me offer a few that I have come up with. I mention them so that you will do some soul and mind searching on how you deal with figuring out people.

The first learning I got about judging is from the Talmud.

It says, “Teach thy tongue to say I do not know.”

I like to push using the rosary for more than Hail Mary’s.

Say 59 times - using the beads, “Teach thy tongue to say, ‘I do not know.’”

I’ve said that at least 6,567 times on my beads, “Teach thy tongue to say, ‘I do not know.’”

Do that and when judging another you’ll find yourself saying in loud, “Teach thy tongue to say, ‘I do not know.’”

Another saying is from Father Pat Lynch who used to be stationed here. I heard him preach once about being careful when judging the motives of others. He said, using his fingers as if they were walking on the wood of the pulpit, “Nobody has ever seen a motive walking down the street.” 

I like that.  We forget most homilies. But  I have never forgot that saying.

So say - once more - using your beads, “Nobody has ever seen a motive walking down the street.” Say a rosary full of that comment 59 times and you’ll find yourself  saying that to yourself when judging another.”

The next learning I got in life about judging others I learned from Carl Jung. It’s in his theory of  Personality Types.  He describes some people as “Judging Types”.  The judger type person judges others and situations automatically. It’s normal for them to judge.

Listen to people.  Some say about others behavior,  “Well that was stupid.”

That’s a judgment. I usually say, “It’s interesting.”

My trick would be to look at the judgment  we make about others and say things like, “Interesting” - or “I don’t know” or “”You never know.”

So if some people judge automatically, the trick is the second thought after that initial judgment. 

That’s where the title of this homily comes from: “Judging: the Second Moment.”

So if we tend to judge others automatically, if we find ourselves saying, “Now that was dumb.”  Or “That outfit is ugly.”  Then pause and stop judging. This is where morality comes into the picture. This is where sin can be. It’s there  when we take that second moment to think about what we thinking about this other person.  It’s after the first thought - the automatic judgment - and we say, “I don’t know.”  Or I don’t know so and so’s motive.

So shutting up is the key. So stepping back is the trick. So realizing we have time to hesitate is the secret.

We have a choice here.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Now let’s jump to today’s gospel.

Jesus says,  Stop judging!

Jesus says “Be merciful.”

Jesus says, “Forgive.”

Then when we meet Jesus at judgment time we can say, “Hey I thought you said not to judge, so please don’t judge me.”

Or you said “Show mercy. So show me lots of mercy.”

Or continuing with today’s gospel, be like the merchant in the market place who fills the robe of his customer with lots and lots of flour and then some and then some more after that.  

Then the person will walk home from the market place with a great smile on her or his face that day.

“Wow did I get a good deal today.”

And lastly, Jesus talks about measuring rulers or scales.  Have an enormous ruler for mercy and forgiveness and get rid of the measuring rod for judging.