St Francis Episcopal Church

10/29/2026

10/29/2026

Jesus knew that it was not enough to give to kingdom citizens a new measuring stick; he must instruct them in its use. So he says, “Don’t act as a judge in order to escape being judged.” Observe that he does not simply say, “Judge not.” People frequently quote this verse as though Jesus forbids all forms of moral discrimination. They regard lightly or overlook completely such things as lying, cheating, stealing, or playing the hypocrite, on the grounds that one should not judge his fellow man.
Either these people are so weak of character that they are afraid to take a stand, or they quote this verse in self-defense. A liar quite naturally does not want his lying brought to trial. A thief most certainly advocates tolerance toward his thieving. A hypocrite wants no one to adjust his mask. So in chorus they say, “Judge not!” What they really mean is “Judge me not.” They have no objection to judgement of other people; in fact, they’re usually glad to lend a hand with it.
Certainly this idea is foreign to the thought of Jesus. He took for granted that it would be necessary for kingdom citizens both to judge and be judged. He told them to learn to tell the difference between a sheepskin with a sheep in it and a sheepskin with a wolf in it. He also said that a tree should be judged by its fruit.....[Jesus] knew that if [his followers] were the kind of men and women that kingdom citizens should be they would have to judge. But the thing he wanted to make clear to them was that when one assumes the role of judge he is not thereby exempt from judgement himself. In other words, don’t sit on the judgement seat with the idea that you’ll never be required to stand in the prisoner’s box. “For you shall be judged by the sentences you pass, and you shall be measured by the measures you mete.” The same standard applies to both judge and prisoner, to both preacher and congregation.
Perhaps it would help us to understand Jesus’ point a bit better if we paraphrased it like this: “Don’t become a preacher for the purpose of not being preached to, for with the same sermons you preach you shall be preached to, and the same conduct you prescribe for others shall be prescribed for you.”
Clarence Jordan (1912-1969) The Sermon on the Mount See less
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10/29/2026

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10/26/2026

"What shall I render unto Him for all His benefits?"
I can only give my own self—all I have, and all I am.
I desire to surrender myself wholly unto Thee, O my God,
to live more simply as one separated unto Thee,
not finding my joy and comfort in the earthly blessings
Thou so richly bestowest on me, but,
while thankful for the gracious gifts,
looking only to the Giver as the Source
of my happiness and the Object of my life.
I cannot shake off the habits of thought and feeling
which many years have wrought in me;
I can only ask of Thee to have mercy on me,
poor and needy as I am,
and subdue in me
all that is perverse and wayward in my heart,
and so fill me with Thy pure and heavenly love,
that all my narrowness and selfishness
may be done away in the wideness of Thy love. Amen.
Maria Hare 1798-1870

10/26/2026

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