4 November 2026 · Syro-Malankara Rite
Open in the Daily Word appAlso: Latin Rite · Syro-Malabar Rite · മലയാളം
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven;” Luke 6:37
The Corinthians were proud of their favourite preachers and of their own gifts. Paul brings them down to earth with one question: “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?” Our talents, our faith, even our good works are gifts. The apostles, by contrast, live as “fools for the sake of Christ”, hungry and homeless, blessing when reviled.
Jesus draws the conclusion for daily life: do not judge, do not condemn, forgive, give. The measure we use for others will be used for us. And he adds the famous picture of the speck and the log: we see the small fault in our brother's eye and do not notice the beam in our own. Humility before God makes us gentle with others.
Theme: “Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Humility before God, gentleness with others.
“for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven;” Luke 6:37
Apply: Pray for someone you have judged.
“Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth,” Deuteronomy 8:17–18
“What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?” 1 Corinthians 4:7
Apply: Name three gifts you did not earn.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.” Psalm 139:23
“Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?” Luke 6:41
Apply: Go to confession this month.
The humble do not judge.
The measure we give is the measure we receive.
Take-home resolution: Hold back one criticism every day this week.
Dear friends, the Corinthians were proud of their favourite preachers and of their own gifts. Paul brings them down to earth with one question: what do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift (1 Corinthians 4:7)? Everything is gift.
Jesus says the same truth another way: do not judge, and you will not be judged; forgive, and you will be forgiven. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour's eye but do not notice the log in your own (Luke 6:37, 41)?
Those who receive everything as gift find it hard to judge others. A practice for today: when you are tempted to criticise someone, first think for a moment about the log in your own eye, then say a short prayer for that person. Amen.
Children, it is easy to find faults in others. Today say only good things about someone!
Lord Jesus, everything I have is your gift. Take away my pride, keep me from judging others, and help me to see first the log in my own eye. Amen.
Both readings are about pride and judgment. Paul asks the Corinthians, who were proud of their gifts and of their favourite teachers, “What do you have that you did not receive?” In the Gospel, Jesus warns against judging others while blind to our own faults. Humility before God becomes mercy toward our neighbour.
Setting.
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians from Ephesus, around AD 54–55. Chapters 1–4 deal with the quarrels in the church at Corinth, where groups were forming around different preachers (1:12). Some Corinthians thought of themselves as already wise, rich and spiritually complete. Paul answers with irony, and then with a father's tenderness.
Structure.
Key words.
Verse by verse.
“For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?” (4:7)
Every gift, of nature or of grace, is received. Boasting forgets the Giver.
“we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals.” (4:9)
“When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;” (4:12)
Paul lives what Jesus taught: “bless those who curse you” (Luke 6:28). The apostle's authority shows itself in this kind of meekness.
How the Church reads it.
St Augustine said that 1 Corinthians 4:7 convinced him that even the beginning of faith is God's gift, and he quoted it again and again against the idea that we can earn grace (in substance; On the Predestination of the Saints). The Catechism teaches that before God we have no strict right to any merit: our merits are themselves God's gifts (CCC 2007–2011).
Setting.
These verses belong to Luke's Sermon on the Plain (6:20–49), his shorter parallel to the Sermon on the Mount. Just before, Jesus has said: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (6:36). Today's words show what that mercy means between people.
Structure.
Key words.
Verse by verse.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven;” (6:37)
The passive verbs (“will be judged”, “will be forgiven”) are a reverent way of speaking of what God will do.
“for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” (6:38)
“Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?” (6:41)
The one who judges harshly is often blind to his own faults. Correction of a brother is still possible, but only after we have dealt with ourselves (v. 42).
How the Church reads it.
The Catechism teaches that although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offence, we must entrust the judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God (CCC 1861). It also warns against rash judgment and asks us to interpret our neighbour's words and deeds in a favourable way as far as possible (CCC 2477–2478).
Does “Do not judge” mean we may never call anything wrong?
No. Jesus himself calls sin by its name, and the Church must teach right and wrong. What is forbidden is condemning persons, presuming to know their hearts, and correcting others while ignoring our own sins (CCC 1861, 2478).