Father Gavril Galev: On Judging and Condemnation
Posted By Macedon on February 24, 2024
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Many lessons may be drawn out from this Gospel event, but this time I would like to concentrate on a specific and very ungrateful topic. It is the judgment and condemnation associated with gossip, because they often go together.
First of all, every sin comes from pride. We judge and condemn first and foremost, and this must be clear to you, because by judging the other, we simply admit that he is better than us. Being proud, vain, with a high opinion of ourselves, according to which we must be first, and not seeing ourselves realistically that we are not, then we choose to judge and condemn the other. We condemn and judge the other because we envy him that he is in a better position, although we do not admit it. That is why we envy him and we are jealous of him.
Condemnation, and gossip is, I will say, the most vile passion. It is like a filth around which unclean insects gather, and then like a disease and contagion they spread it in all directions and infect the environment. We do this, first within ourselves, but most of the time we choose to be in company, because we are always looking for an accomplice in evil. In this way, we not only do ourselves evil and harm, but we also lead astray and harm the other, whom we involve in our lawlessness of gossiping, judging and condemning our neighbour. Not only do we destroy ourselves, but we also push others into hell, and what does the Gospel say about such people?
To have a great millstone fastened around his neck …
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