THROUGH UNTRUE
People generally dislike being criticized or corrected. They often respond defensively saying, “Who are you to pass judgment on me?” They may even cite the biblical passage, “Judge not that you may not be judged” (Matthew 7:1).
In reality, the longer version of this passage states, “Judge not, that you be not judged. Why do you observe the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye” (Matthew 7:1-5).
Jesus was not giving us a blanket prohibition against passing judgment and correcting others. He directed this stern admonition specifically at those whom He intended to correct — the Pharisees. He called them hypocrites due to their pride and excessive sense of moral superiority. They harshly judged others based on their self-defined standards of goodness and righteousness.
We can judge and offer fraternal correction to others as long these are based on well-founded facts, and our motivation for doing so is not pride or condescension, but our desire to help them become better. For example, if you have ample evidence that a person is blatantly dishonest, you have the prerogative to inform and correct him to encourage honesty. Technically, you are not even passing judgment on his person, but stating an objective fact which, perhaps, he refuses to acknowledge.
Granted that we can judge and correct others based on the facts at hand, does that mean we also have the responsibility to do so? Our gospel reading today provides a positive answer and outlines how to go about these (Matthew 18:15-20).
To be conscious of our responsibility to provide correction is not only important for improving our personal relationships but also for addressing the numerous socio-economic challenges we currently face.
Our democratic institutions are firmly in place, yet they can only operate effectively when those within the inner circle of our leaders offer constructive feedback, hold them responsible for their decisions, and ensure that their actions align with the best interests of the nation. Without these, the government becomes a tool for safeguarding and promoting vested interests.
Throughout history, it has become evident that numerous leaders faltered because those closest to them merely tolerated or even exacerbated their misuse of power. They are hesitant to speak out lest they lose the privileges and benefits they enjoyed. They maintained silence to maintain peace. But is this genuine peace?
St. Thomas Aquinas asserted that genuine peace can only flourish within a community whose members are unafraid to speak the truth. A facile compromise to conceal the truth does not lead to true peace. Instead, it fosters a superficial fellowship or alliance that exists even among criminals who remain silent, deaf, and blind to the transgressions committed by their fellow wrongdoers. They protect one another, invoking their code of silence to protect their mutual interest.
For those who enjoy close friendship or affinity with our leaders and yet refuse to offer correction despite possessing glaring evidence of the latter’s wrongdoing, God has this to say: “When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn or correct him to save his life, that wicked person will die for his sin, but I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if, in spite of your warning and correction, the wicked person does not turn from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will save yourself” (Ezekiel 3:18-20).