Romans 2:1-11 / Luke 11:42-46 (2019)
We know we should not judge others least we ourselves be judged. That is what Jesus taught us.
So what exactly is meant by judging others? Because there are times when we are not too sure if giving an opinion is already coming close to giving a judgement.
In the biblical understanding, judgement is about a person's spiritual and moral condition.
It is not so much about a person's actions but rather about the person's essence, his very being.
So to say that someone is evil, or that he is malicious, or that he is selfish may mean that we are saying that is his very being, that is his very essence.
That is tantamount to putting a judgement on the spiritual and moral condition of that person.
We can only judge the actions, but we cannot judge the person's spiritual and moral condition.
The 1st reading tells us that no matter who we are, if we pass judgement, then we have no excuse.
Because a person's spiritual and moral condition is between that person and God, and we have no right to make any judgement about it.
Even in the gospel, Jesus judged the actions of the Pharisees but He didn't say that they were evil or malicious or devious.
But whether it is about the character of a person or about his actions, let us refrain from making judgements.
Let us act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with God. That is what we must do.