I went to someone for grief counseling for about six months several years ago. During the course of our discussions she suggested a diagnosis for a family member I was dealing with. At the time I didn't think anything of it, but after reading the statement above, I thought about it again. Sometimes it's hard to diagnosis the person talking to you. How can you possibly diagnose someone you've never met just by listening to a description from a third party who may be giving you a distorted picture?
On the other hand if you described to a doctor the physical symptoms one of your children was experiencing, he could make at least a stab at possible ailments. So I'm conflicted. It's all so difficult. And people are so quick to judge one another harshly while they excuse themselves.
I try to follow the prescription of St. Francis de Sales to always put the most critical interpretation on your own actions and the most charitable interpretation on the actions of others. That's where the scriptural admonition comes in, "Judge not lest ye be judged."
Obviously we are called to judge, otherwise our mind would not be called the "seat of judgment." We are given the rulebook for judging actions beginning with the ten commandments. But we are never allowed to judge the state of another person's soul. Who knows what life experiences and physical or mental issues have impacted and perhaps impaired the will of another? How do I know the Lord's perception of someone's responsibility for their sins? Yes, I can recognize sinful behavior. No, I cannot judge the state of the sinner's soul.
That's not to say that people who commit grave evils get off scot free. In a court of law, a murderer should receive justice in line with his crime. I read some of the horrendous stories of children, even infants, sexually abused and murdered and I would gladly pull the switch on the electric chair myself. But even then, we should leave the judgement of the sinner's soul to God and pray, like St. Therese did, for the murderer's conversion. Should we wish anyone to go to hell? God forbid, lest we are the condemned prisoner in the dock.
It's raining today, sometimes a soft rain, sometimes a torrent. The rain always makes me think of God's grace. There are times when it seems like a drought. Where are you God? Why do you seem so distant and silent. But even in the drought, his grace comes quietly like morning dew hydrating the dry grass. God's quiet grace hydrates the dry soul even when life seems like a desert. But when it rains I can imagine myself sitting under a torrent of grace soaking it up like a dry sponge soaks up water.
I need your grace, Lord. Please pour it abundantly on my shriveled up soul so tormented by temptations against charity. I want to be like a river of grace flowing out to the world and replenishing all the little streams along the way.
The image of being a burning furnace of charity is one I love. But the image of a river of grace going out to others inspires me also. Lord, make us all You want us to be. Let me never miss an opportunity to become more myself, created in Your image and likeness so I can be so I can be that burning furnace of charity and that river of grace to others.
May Jesus Christ be praised!
No comments:
Post a Comment