My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
The Lord said:
“Oh how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck
from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eyes?
“Hypocrite! First REMOVE THE PLANK FROM YOUR OWN EYE,
AND THEN YOU WILL SEE CLEARLY TO REMOVE THE SPECK
YOUR BROTHER’S EYE” [Saint Matthew 7:4-5].
In the Orthodox Church, Saint Matthew 7:5 is part of the Sermon on the Mount, a series of three chapters in the Holy Gospel of Matthew. In this verse, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ uses a metaphor of a person with a plank in their eye criticizing someone for a speck in their eye, and argues that the plank must be removed before the speck can be. This verse is a warning from Him against hypocrisy, and encourages people to recognize their own sins before trying to judge others. The Greek word dokon (plank), which Jesus uses to refer to the “log” or “plank” in the eye, literally means “beam or wood”. This helps to emphasize the difference between the seriousness of the fault being judged and the seriousness of the fault of the person doing the judging. Jesus has told His listeners in direct terms NOT TO JUDGE each other, else they will also be judged (Matthew 7:1).
An honest person, especially a follower of Christ, ought first begin with himself or herself, take notice of his/her own sins, reprove himself/herself for them, and REFORM (REPENT); and then it will be soon enough to observe other people. Our Merciful Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is very clear when He says, “Judge NOT, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again…” The true and devout Orthodox Christian is fully aware of the Final Judgment which will take place at the Second Coming of the Lord. This judgment will consider the activities of the Christian, especially in relation to his neighbor. “Judge not,” is both a warning for the Christian, not to exercise judgment against his neighbor and also an indication that by not judging others, he may NOT BE SEVERELY JUDGED BY GOD. The authentic Christian is urged NOT to compromise with the moral principles of the Gospel; he as a Christian is appointed a guardian of the Christian moral code to function in the everyday life of his society.
Dear friends, the practicing Christian has no right to condemn his fellow man, or on the contrary, he should show KINDNESS, AND SYMPATHY. But he does have the right to judge the wrong (sinful) activity in itself. He does not have the right to judge the thief, but has the right to pronounce stealing a crime against society and a sin toward God’s Will. By judging the wrong activity as such , the Christian includes himself, because he is responsible for the poor education of the people which afflicts the members of society at large. The Christian is advised to “cast out the beam from thine own eye.” which means to provide means for greater understanding and sound guidance for all people, young and old, so that all people respect the Law and follow the Divine message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The prohibition, “Judge not.” We ought to judge ourselves, and judge our own actions, but we must not judge our fellow man. Who gave you the authority to do so? Who are you? WE must not sit in the judgment seat, to make our word a law to everybody. We must not speak to our brother, our neighbor. We must not despise him or treat him with contempt. We must know our own sins better than those of others. The “hypocrite” sees the errors of others, ignoring his own, because he loves himself above all else. To judge others indicates pride and conceit which is detrimental to one’s salvation. The Saints of our Holy Orthodox Church considered themselves as the greatest sinner on earth. They would never place themselves on a pedestal to judge others.
The truly humble and devout Christian is full of love for his fellow man who he believes is God’s child and therefore a brother or sister in Christ. It is important that we possess the gift of discernment and emulate our Lord’s example of compassion, mercy, and above all His unconditional love for all including the sinner. The Holy Apostle Paul asks us, “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For WE SHALL ALL STAND BEFORE THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST” [Romans 14:10]. Belittling criticism of others is another way pride is revealed in our speech. It is a lack of faith united with evil works, an offense both to the person criticized and to God. God’ Will, if you have forgotten, is that we love others with humility and mercy, even if they are in the wrong. Saint James the Holy Apostle writes: “For every envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there” [James 3:16). What we say reveals what we are. If we can control what we say, we can control what we do.
It is imperative that as fellow Christians we are constantly engaged in spiritual warfare and therefore we are fellow combatants. Our enemy is one, Satan. Saint Paul says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do NOT war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” [2 Corinthians 10:3-4). The battlefield of spiritual “warfare” includes (1) entrenched spiritual fortresses (strongholds),, (2) human reason (“arguments” (3) human and Angelic powers (every high thing that exalts itself”) (4) ideas (thoughts) and (5) the will (obedience). Our “weapons” include the Holy Cross, prayer, and the Word of God. Both our thoughts and our actions together are to be submissive to Christ. The Church is GOD’S FORTRESS, marching against the “strongholds” of “disobedience”.
The Christian must remain always vigilant for the enemy never sleeps. With Christian discernment we are able to know if our thoughts are of God or of the evil one. By knowing the truth we are able to avoid the many demonic snares set before us. It is not prudent for the Orthodox Christian to let his/her guard down at any time. It is through prayer that we are able to keep our communion with God strong and open. With God’s guidance the Christian is able to appreciate His numerous heavenly gifts which lead him/her to His eternal Kingdom and life. A faith which obeys Christ is the very content and meaning of life. Everything about us must be subordinated to Christ and His Kingdom.
Saint Paul exhorts us, “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11-12). The beginning of repentance is to flee from sin and to abstain from passions. No one should ever submit or allow the passions to rule over us or to control us. If you are spiritually ill and need healing, turn to our Holy Church. “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters (elders) of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:14-15). The presbyter (priest) prays for the ill person, anointing him with holy oil (holy unction) and saying the following prayer:
“O Lord Almighty, Healer of our souls and bodies, who puts down and
raises up, who chastises and heals also, visit now in Your mercy our brother
or sister N___________,, who is ill. Stretch forth Your arm that is full of healing
and health, and raise (him or her) up from this bed and cure this illness. Put
away the spirit of disease and every malady and pain and fever. And if (he, she)
has committed sins and transgressions, grant remission and forgiveness,
because You love mankind.
As Orthodox Christians we pray, neither commanding God to heal, nor doubting His ability to heal, but pleading for His promised mercy upon all who are ill
________
“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 