A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 7:1-5
Jesus said to his disciples: “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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Encountering Christ
Today’s Gospel hits home for all of us—because every one of us has, at some point, looked at another person’s life and made a judgment. Maybe it was quiet. Maybe it was whispered. Maybe it even seemed justified. But Jesus makes it clear:
“Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?”
He’s not saying we should never make moral decisions or speak the truth. What He is saying is that the truth must always be spoken with love, humility, and self-awareness.
Jesus knows the human heart. He knows how quickly we can fall into the trap of measuring others by a harsher standard than we use for ourselves. He knows how easy it is to focus on someone else’s flaws—especially when it helps us avoid dealing with our own.
And if we’re honest, sometimes judgment is our defense mechanism. When we feel insecure, we criticize. When we feel guilty, we deflect. When we feel powerless, we judge. That’s why Jesus doesn’t just call for moral clarity—He calls for interior conversion.
He’s inviting us to turn our gaze inward—to begin with the “plank” in our own eye. That plank might be pride. It might be resentment. It might be impatience, or gossip, or an unwillingness to forgive. But unless we acknowledge our own need for mercy, we cannot be credible witnesses of the Gospel.
This Gospel passage challenges us to remember something essential:
God is the Judge. We are the witnesses.
And as His witnesses, we’re called not to condemn the world—but to reveal His mercy in it. If we want others to encounter Jesus, they must first encounter Him in us—in our compassion, in our humility, and in our willingness to walk alongside them, not above them.
Think about it: Jesus didn’t win hearts by standing at a distance and pointing out people’s sins. He got close. He ate with tax collectors. He forgave adulterers. He wept with the grieving. And because of that love, hearts changed. Sinners repented. Lives were transformed.
If we’re truly His followers, we must do the same.
Action of the Day
So here’s your challenge for the week:
Do one act of mercy—toward someone you’d usually be tempted to judge.
It might be offering encouragement to someone you disagree with. It might be holding your tongue when you feel like gossiping. It might be praying for someone you resent.
Let that act of mercy become your way of saying: “Lord, I’m ready to lead with love.” Because that’s how He comes to us every day.
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