A teacher sent a note to a pupil’s mother: “Take your son out of school. He is too stupid to learn anything.” The pupil was Thomas Edison, one of America’s greatest inventor.
The Lord Jesus, very early on in his ministry, following a dinner in the house of a tax collector, was labeled, as we heard in the reading today, a drunkard and a glutton.
This sort of labeling someone without all the facts, or making a claim about a person’s inner intentions, is known as the sin of rash judgment, a sin against the eighth commandment which forbids bearing false witness. The eighth commandment demands that we avoid misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others.
The teacher misrepresented Thomas Edison. Jesus’ critics misrepresented his presence in the house of the tax collector, seeking to ruin his reputation because they disagreed with his teachings and actions.
I’ve known very good and holy priests who became victims of rash judgment by parishioners who’ve sent letters to the bishop mischaracterizing the priest and his pastoral leadership.
There’s something particularly demonic about this sin, which opposes the truth. We see Satan in the garden twisting the words of God, mischaracterizing God as someone who doesn’t truly care about the welfare of Adam and Eve, “Did he really say this? God just doesn’t want you to become as knowledgeable as He is”.
Eve was guilty of rash judgment, as she assumed a moral fault about God without sufficient foundation. She took the word of a talking snake. The devil works on us at the same level, working on our imaginations, leading us to assume the worst about people, to label them as inferior so that we can discredit them, close our ears, minds, and hearts toward them, or justify coldness toward them.
Rather, we are called to be bearers of the truth, giving people the benefit of the doubt, being extremely cautious about people’s good names, to respect the reputation of persons, and to avoid every attitude or remark that might cause unjust injury to a person’s reputation.
What if we are the victim of rash judgment? Well, we bear our wrongs patiently, we trust in the Lord, over and over again the Lord reveals liars for what they are. The resurrection of Jesus is the divine stamp of justice against those who formed rash judgment against the Lord. All will be revealed, all will be righted.
Until then, may we avoid this sin, guarding our lips and tongues and minds from forming rash judgment toward our neighbor, and working to build the kingdom of God’s goodness and peace for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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That members of the Church, laity and ordained, will treat each other with the charity, honesty, and respect that the Gospel demands.
For an end to indifference to God and human dignity in our government and educational institutions, businesses, and personal attitudes.
During this month of September, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, we pray for all those who grieve, and that we may grieve sufficiently for our sins.
That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.
O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.
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