Mt 13:36-43 Who Am I To Judge?

Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week In Ordinary Time

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Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.  His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

He who sows good seed is the Son of Man.  Do good, avoid evil.  Be a man of your word and a man of the Word.  Be a man created in the image and likeness of God.  Treat everyone with compassion and mercy.  Do not judge.  Do not condemn. 

Throw good seed.  Be like Jesus. 

Just yesterday, the Holy Father threw some good seed when he asked a crowd of reporters, “Who am I to judge?”  His comment was made in reference to certain monsignor working in the Vatican accused of having had a homosexual relationship.  The Pope made it very clear to all the reporters present that the accusations made against the prelate had been investigated and nothing was found to back up the allegations. 

“Who am I to judge?”  This doesn’t mean that we cannot know “right” from “wrong.”  Of course we can, and we determine it all the time.  But what the Holy Father is insisting on is that we not write-off anyone, for the final judgment (of men) is made by God, not by men.  Only “the Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.” 

We have to be careful throughout our lives to not right-off anyone; to dismiss them or leave them as if they were dead and buried.  Only God can penetrate the hearts of men.  Only God can separate the wheat from the weeds.  No one else. 

For a brief moment, Pope Francis took journalists to task for reporting on the matter, saying the allegations concerned matters of sin, not crimes like sexually abusing children.  And when someone sins and confesses, he said that God not only forgives but forgets.  “We don’t have the right to not forget.” 

Let’s not fool ourselves.  This is the only honest and rational way sinners, who have been knocked down, can get back up again.

“The Lord is kind and merciful (Ps. 103:8a).”

As I was scrolling down the article, my eye caught sight of a comment that read something to the affect:  “The Pope is homophobic.”  What this “Catholicphobic” individual is actually saying about our dearly beloved Pope is that to agree with someone is the same as to love someone.

Imagine for a moment if I said to someone: “I’m sorry, but if you don’t agree with me on this issue, then I cannot love you.”

This attitude is a symptom of a spoiled upbringing.  I won’t love you unless you give me what I want.  And it perfectly describes our “modern” society. 

Somehow, in one way or another, we gave birth to an entire generation of Americans who feel entitled and privileged.   They think they are “more special” than others.  They even think they are “better” than others.  But they are not, not in the very least, for they are ruthless, belittling, and blatantly intolerant towards others.

Someone recently wrote to me accusing me of being one-sided.  They said that Google knows how to advertise to me since they can see what I read.  They think I only read FOXNEWS.

Think again.  I actually have subscriptions to the New York Times, The Huffington Post and other likeminded newspapers.  I actually post (on my other blog) articles not only from these news sources, but also from CBS, ABC and MSN. 

Maybe some people fit into certain categories, and that makes it slightly easier for us to judge them.  But I do not consider myself one-sided.  I actually read (and listen) to both sides of an issue before making any decisions.  Not only that, but to be perfectly honest, I must say that “one-side” actually feeds (and helps to grow) the other side.

There are two ways to grow in faith:  with wheat (by experiencing the fruits of charity) and with weeds (by experiencing the fruits of sin).

I don’t know if weeds actually help wheat to grow, but they sure have helped me to grow in my faith.   

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