The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Monday, 23 June 2008 Monday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time Today the Church celebrates : St. John Fisher See commentary below or click here Saint John Climacus : "Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye?" 2nd book of Kings 17,5-8.13-15.18. For this, the king of Assyria arrested and imprisoned Hoshea; he then occupied the whole land and attacked Samaria, which he besieged for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria, and deported the Israelites to Assyria, settling them in Halah, at the Habor, a river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. This came about because the Israelites sinned against the LORD, their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt, from under the domination of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and because they venerated other gods. They followed the rites of the nations whom the LORD had cleared out of the way of the Israelites (and the kings of Israel whom they set up). And though the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and seer, "Give up your evil ways and keep my commandments and statutes, in accordance with the entire law which I enjoined on your fathers and which I sent you by my servants the prophets," they did not listen, but were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who had not believed in the LORD, their God. They rejected his statutes, the covenant which he had made with their fathers, and the warnings which he had given them. The vanity they pursued, they themselves became: they followed the surrounding nations whom the LORD had commanded them not to imitate. till, in his great anger against Israel, the LORD put them away out of his sight. Only the tribe of Judah was left. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 7,1-5. Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,' while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint John Climacus (c.575-650), monk on Mount Sinai The Ladder of Perfection, 10th step "Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye?" I have heard some people speak ill of their neighbour and have rebuked them. To defend themselves, these evildoers have answered: «We are saying these things out of charity and concern!» However, I have replied: «Stop practising a charity like that or you will be accusing of deceit the one who said: 'Whoever slanders his neighbour in secret, him will I destroy,' (Ps 101[100],5). If you love him – as you claim – pray for him in secret and don't make a mock of the man. This is the way of loving that pleases the Lord; don't lose sight of it and you will take the greatest care not to judge sinners. Judas was of the number of the apostles and the thief was among the criminals but, in an instant, what an astonishing change!...» So reply to anyone who speaks evil of his neighbor to you: «Stop, brother! I myself fall into the most serious faults every day; how could I now condemn this man?» Thus you will make a twofold gain: you will heal yourself and heal your neighbor. Not judging is a shortcut towards the forgiveness of sins, if this saying is true: «Do not judge and you will not be judged»... Some people have committed grave faults in the sight of everyone but, in secret, have carried out the greatest acts of virtue. Thus their detractors have been mistaken by focussing only on the smoke without seeing the sun... Those who are hastily censorious and severe fall into this delusion because they don't keep the memory and constant care of their own sins before them... Judging others is shamelessly to usurp a divine prerogative; condemning them is to bring down our own souls... Just as a good grape-picker eats the grapes that are ripe and does not pick those that are green, so a watchful and sensible soul carefully takes note of all the virtues he sees in others; but it is the stupid man who keeps an eye on their faults and failings. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.