June 23, 2014
Monday 12th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: 2 Kgs 17:5-8,13-15, 18
Gospel: Mt 7:1–5
Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not judge and you will not be judged. In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and the measure you use for others will be used for you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye and not see the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother: ‘Come, let me take the speck from your eye,’ as long as that plank is in your own? Hypocrite, take first the plank out of your own eye, then you will see clear enough to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE (Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life
Experience)
Once upon a time there was a farmer who wanted to sell his carabao. One day he towed the carabao along to the market with the help of his farm boy to finally sell it. While on their way they met a businessman who said: “You are not using your head, old man. Why don’t you maximize resources by riding on the carabao?” Hearing this judgment the old man hopped into the back of the carabao together with the boy and continued with the journey. A few meters away they met a veterinarian who declared them cruel to animals. Hearing the judgment the old man alighted leaving the boy alone on the carabao’s back. “The boy shouldn’t be too heavy for the animal”, he thought to himself.
A few minutes later they met a crusader of senior citizen’s rights who began lambasting the boy for making an old man walk. Hearing the judgment they quickly exchanged places. This time it was the old man sitting on the back of the carabao. Then they met a human rights lawyer who accused the old man of putting a child’s life in danger by making his farm boy walk side by side with the carabao. Hearing the judgment the old man quickly alighted from on top of the carabao. “What shall I do next?” He muttered. He ended up carrying the carabao.
While all people who are quick to judge claim to be on the side of truth, they differ in their verdicts on one and the same subject. But if there is only one truth, how can this difference be justified? Is there truth at all in any of their verdicts? William Cowper, an English poet and hymnodist doubts. He wrote: “And diff’ring judgments serve but to declare that truth lies somewhere, if we knew but where.”
We are similarly situated in respect to the truth. Because of this no one is in a better position to judge others. Today’s Gospel points this out in a comic manner: “How can you say to your brother: ‘Come, let me take the speck from your eye,’ as long as that plank is in your own?” – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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