Writing in the fourth century, Ephraem expressed his faith journey with these words: "Grant me to see my own errors, and not to judge my neighbor." Would that all our prayers contained such insight.
It is much easier to see transgression in others. We are inclined to judge more harshly those errors which we seldom commit. We avoid discussions of those sins which lie close at hand. When was the last time you heard a sermon on the sin of gluttony?
The season of Lent is a time to examine ourselves and identify those parts of our life which are not being lived in accordance to God's Word. It is a time to examine all of our life - not merely the parts that we are accustomed to setting out front and showing off on Sunday morning.
To his disciples Jesus once said, "Judge not, lest you also be judged." One teacher reminded me that all of are inclined to judge; Jesus reminds us to use the same standard in judging ourselves as we would use to judge others.
Look, with charity, upon the actions of others. Ask, in your prayers, that God might expose to you where it is that you need to clean up your own act.
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