Reflection on August 6, 1980

https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/jp2tb33.htm

I found myself thinking about what the difference is between being accused and being judged. In my line of work I am very familiar with the difference, but those that are not dealing with “accused” everyday may think they are the same. In fact, that is one of the many warnings that a person will receive when they are thinking about a jury trial. Many believe that if you are accused, then you are guilty (judged). I know my wife comes to this conclusion. (I would never want her on a jury) I cannot say that everyone is innocent, I can agree that most are guilty, but there are accused that are not guilty. There is a huge difference between being accused and being judged. JPII talks about the two quotes from Christ; “But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” and “He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” The later he says is more of an accusation, the first he describes more as a judgment.

I am not sure I fully understand where the distinctions lie, but I did follow that the first Christ speaks not only to those present, but to the historical man and to the individual “you”. It is a judgment on “you” as an individual 2000 years after the words were spoken that when you did this, you were guilty or when you do it you will be guilty.

It made me think about those that wanted to stone Mary. They had accused her of adultery, but accusations were not enough. They wanted to be her judge as well. They put her before Christ to test Him as an accuser and judge. What does He do? He questions their ability to judge. He tells them that the one without sin should cast the first stone and they all walk away. We are not called to be the judge, to pass judgment. That doesn’t mean we cannot accuse or call someone out on their sin. There is a difference between telling someone they are acting in a sinful manner and telling them they are going to hell. The judging is left to God, the perfect Judge. And He does judge, and He is a perfectly fair judge. But being fair doesn’t mean being weak. Just because you love someone, doesn’t mean you ignore their sin. You accuse them, call them out, try to help them overcome, but do not judge. But, there are people in Hell that God loves just as much as He loves you, all of them in fact. Just because they were judged as deserving of Hell does not change God’s love. And just because I tell a person I don’t agree with their choices or think they are sinning doesn’t mean I don’t love them, I think I show love by speaking up and trying to help them on a different path. It is very difficult for many to see the difference between being accused and being judged, but, especially in our country, it happens every day. We should be more comfortable with it, but when it comes to sin and social issues, there are many that only see judgment when accusation is given and on the flip side, judgment is cast when we are called to only be accusers.

JPII talks about Christ speaking to our heart. I think that does give a very individual feel to His words, like He is speaking right to us. That is His target, our hearts. The fall did not affect our physic, the physical being of the person. (Maybe that isn’t entirely true because we became mortal) The fall affected our heart, our inner person. That is what Christ wants to speak to, wants to get to, wants to change. In the Old Testament there are laws that are very physically pertinent: Plant certain plants next to each other, build the Temple in such and such way, treat leprosy in a certain way. Those were the old laws and they have the purpose of pointing to Christ. Christ commands that we get past the physical world and change our hearts, He speaks to our hearts, says that we sin when we sin in our hearts. In that way He speaks to us, through the ages, until the end of time, He speaks to you, speaks to your heart.