Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time, June 23, 2025

Gospel

Matthew 7:1-5

Jesus said to his disciples:

"Stop judging, that you may not be judged.

For as you judge, so will you be judged,

and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.

Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye,

but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?

How can you say to your brother,

'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,'

while the wooden beam is in your eye?

You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;

then you will see clearly

to remove the splinter from your brother's eye."

Reflection

In this Gospel reading, we first notice that Jesus is speaking to His disciples. This makes His warning about judgment especially sobering. Can you imagine being called a hypocrite by Jesus? As future leaders and examples of the Kingdom, the disciples are called to learn and live humility and virtue. Jesus isn’t just warning against hypocrisy; He’s training His disciples to lead with compassion and self-awareness. Learning and confronting their own sins and weaknesses will help them to better minister to the needs of others. As I reflect on this Gospel reading, it is a reminder to me and all of us that discipleship begins with the heart. Pope Leo XIV has been speaking about looking within at our own hearts. To be truthful in our observance and cultivate a healthy relationship with our Savior, Who loves us. We are not called to condemn, but to grow in grace and truth, becoming "tried" vessels of God’s love.

Click here for the link to the short video with Pope Leo asking us to look into our own hearts.