Pope Francis said Friday morning during his Homily at Casa Santa Marta that we must first examine ourselves before judging others. Reflecting on a teaching from St. Paul about mercy, he said that judging others too quickly will lead us to become hypocrites. According to the Pope, even he is at risk.
POPE FRANCIS
'And Jesus uses that word that he only uses with those who are two-faced, with two minds: â??Hypocrites!' Hypocrite. Men and women who canâ??t learn how to acknowledge their own faults become hypocrites. All of them? All of them: starting from the Pope downwards: all of them. If a person isnâ??t able to acknowledge his or her faults and then says, if itâ??s necessary, who we should be telling things about other people, that person is not a Christian, is not part of this very beautiful work of reconciliation, peace-making, tenderness, goodness, forgiveness, generosity and mercy that Jesus Christ brought to us.â?
By acknowledging our own faults, we can become more merciful toward others, the Pope explained. He concluded that a person who never speaks ill of others should be canonized immediately.
EXCERPTS FROM THE POPE'S HOMILY
(Source: Vatican Radio)
'But we can say: â??So, this is all fine, isnâ??t it?â?? And each of us can say: â??Yes Father, this is all fine but how can it actually be done, where does one start with this?â?? And whatâ??s the first step for going along this path?â?? We see that first step in todayâ??s first Reading, in the Gospel. The first step is to acknowledge our own faults. The courage to acknowledge this before accusing others. And Paul praises the Lord because he chose him and gives thanks because â??he has judged me trustworthy, even though I used to be a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man.â?? But this was mercy.â?
'And Jesus uses that word that he only uses with those who are two-faced, with two minds: â??Hypocrites!' Hypocrite. Men and women who canâ??t learn how to acknowledge their own faults become hypocrites. All of them? All of them: starting from the Pope downwards: all of them. If a person isnâ??t able to acknowledge his or her faults and then says, if itâ??s necessary, who we should be telling things about other people, that person is not a Christian, is not part of this very beautiful work of reconciliation, peace-making, tenderness, goodness, forgiveness, generosity and mercy that Jesus Christ brought to us.â?
'When we get tempted to talk to people about the faults of others, we must stop ourselves. And me? And have the courage that Paul had, here: â??I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, a violent manâ??â?¦ But how many things can we say about ourselves? Letâ??s refrain from comments about others and letâ??s comment about ourselves. And this is the first step along this path of magnanimity. Because a person who can only see the logs in the eyes of others, falls into pettiness: a petty mind, full of pettiness, full of chatter.â?
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