Monday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day
The Imitation of Christ, spiritual treatise of the 15th century
Book II, ch. 3
"Stop judging, that you may not be judged."
You are very good at excusing and whitewashing your own behaviour, but you will not allow your neighbour's excuses.
You might more fairly accuse yourself and excuse your brother.
If you wish to be borne, then bear.
Look how far you are, even now, from true and lowly love, which knows no anger nor indignation except against itself.
It is no great thing to live with the good and the docile; everyone naturally likes to do so - just as we are all delighted to live in peace with friends who share our views.
But if you can live at peace with harsh, wayward, unbridled disputatious folk; this is a great grace, and a manly achievement worthy of all praise...
The greater skill in suffering, the greater peace. Here is the conqueror of self, the lord of the world, the friend of Christ, heaven's heir.
-- Saint Teresa of Avila