Daily Reflection Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

I have affectionately internally dubbed this passage the "Plank / Speck" Gospel since the days of my early 20s. This Gospel is always a humbling wake up call for me, a check of the ego. It's always a good reset especially as it falls in this natural time of restart of the year.

Isn’t it amazing how quickly we can slip into judging others? And I write this as a guilty party myself, very much in need of Gods Mercy. We often find ourselves critiquing those around us—whether it’s their behavior, their clothes, their parenting style, or even their spirituality. Sometimes, this habit follows us even into sacred spaces, where we might find ourselves distracted by others’ appearances or actions, secretly pleased that we seem to be doing better.

It’s as if we don’t quite believe what Jesus teaches us about judgment. We might think, “Well, He’s not talking about me,” and convince ourselves that our own judgment is somehow exempt. Years ago a wise religious Sister imparted a lasting lesson to me; when something in someone else bothers you to the core, it's often quite likely you have the same imperfection that you see in them. I carry this with me still, as a reminder to pause when I feel the blood pressure rising and the eyebrows furrowing. It's an invitation to self examination and to offer the other the benefit of the doubt.

Today’s gospel is a clear, heartfelt invitation from Jesus. He’s urging us to stop focusing on the faults of others and instead turn our attention to our own hearts, which may be wandering and unkind. When we find ourselves comparing and judging others, it might be a reflection of our own insecurities. If we can find flaws in others, it can momentarily make us feel better about our own hidden imperfections.

This isn’t about diving into deep theological debates—it’s a straightforward call to live more like Jesus. To truly follow Him, we need to let go of judging and gossiping. Breaking these habits, so prevalent in our culture of reality TV and tabloid news, starts with prayer.

When we deeply experience God’s love for us, flaws and all, our need to judge others begins to fade. As we allow God’s love to overtake us, we’ll start to see ourselves and others through a lens of grace rather than criticism. Embracing this divine love helps us understand that we are cherished beyond measure, and it softens our gaze towards others, allowing us to reflect God’s kindness in our interactions.