“22The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” (Matthew 6:22-27)
At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains why unnecessary judgment and criticism are so damaging: we should always try to put ourselves in others’ shoes and not judge them. We must love and acknowledge ourselves and others for who they are, no matter their (or our own) imperfections. As we were created in God’s image, we should always aspire to emulate the divine, improve our behavior, and grow. This is why we must be compassionate and moderate criticism. Once the forces of compassion overpower the forces of judgment, we can attain inner calmness and the ability to focus on our true life’s mission—reaching the highest spiritual level, where everything is light.
Mercy is the empathy that inspires support for those in need.
