Be Aware of Your Own Weakness

Reflection Date: June 22, 2026 | Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint Paulinus of Nola, Bishop
Memorial of Saint John Fisher, Bishop and Saint Thomas More, Martyrs
Daily Readings: 2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15a, 18;  Matthew 7:1-5

Children of God:
In recent years, the internet introduced what many people now call “cancel culture.” 

A person makes one mistake, says the wrong words, or commits an offense, and suddenly thousands of people attack online. 

Celebrities lose careers overnight because of old posts dug up from years ago. 

Ordinary people become targets of ridicule because of one viral video or one bad decision. 

Some online users act like judges without knowing the whole story behind a person’s struggles. 

There are cases where a person apologizes sincerely, yet many still refuse forgiveness. 

Social media sometimes turns into a courtroom where everyone quickly throws stones. 

Of course, accountability is important because wrong actions also have consequences. 

But there is a difference between correcting someone and destroying someone completely. 

The danger of cancel culture is that mercy slowly disappears. 

People forget that every human being is still capable of change, healing, and redemption.

In the gospel story of Matthew, Jesus warned His listeners about the danger of judging others harshly. 

He spoke about people who noticed the tiny speck in another person’s eye while ignoring the wooden beam in their own eye. 

Jesus did not reject correction, but He reminded people to examine their own hearts first. 

What can guide us today?

First, we must be aware of our own weaknesses.

Jesus said, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3). 

Those words sounded sharp because they exposed human pride. 

Many people quickly notice the faults of others but struggle to admit their own failures. 

The gospel invited people to stop pretending to be perfect.

This happens often in daily life. 

Some parents correct their children harshly while forgetting their own mistakes when they were young. 

Some workers criticize coworkers but ignore their own lack of discipline. 

Even online, people sometimes write cruel comments as if they themselves never failed. 

Humility changes the way we see others because humility reminds us that we are all imperfect people needing grace.

When we become aware of our own weaknesses, compassion grows naturally. 

We become slower to condemn and quicker to understand. 

Jesus never said that sin was acceptable, but He constantly approached sinners with mercy and hope. 

We must be aware of our own weaknesses.

Second, we are called to heal, not humiliate. 

Jesus warned against hypocrisy because public humiliation often destroys rather than heals. 

In many online arguments today, the goal is no longer truth or justice. 

The goal becomes embarrassment, revenge, or public shaming. 

That attitude pushes people deeper into anger, fear, and hopelessness.

The gospel invites us to respond differently. 

There are times when correction is necessary, especially when actions harm others. 

But correction must leave room for repentance and growth. 

Saint Peter denied Jesus three times, yet Christ restored him instead of canceling him forever. 

Saint Paul once persecuted Christians, yet God transformed him into an apostle. 

The history of the Church is filled with sinners who changed because mercy reached them.

A merciful heart reflects the heart of Christ. 

Christians are called to become instruments of truth spoken with compassion and kindness.

We are called to heal, not humiliate.

As we reflect today, we ask ourselves: Am I quick to judge people without understanding their struggles? 

Do my words online and in daily life bring healing or humiliation? How can I practice correction with humility and mercy like Christ?

Children of God:
Many people today carry wounds because they were judged too harshly. 

Jesus reminded His followers to look honestly at themselves before condemning others. 

This is why compassion remains necessary in every generation. 

The gospel does not ask us to ignore truth, but it asks us to speak truth with love. 

Let us then stop acting like judges and start acting like disciples.