The sinner has his Judge. Do not steal the right to judge to the One Born! The Judgment throne is reserved to Him.
Do you want to judge too ? You have a judgment throne too which brings you much gain and no damage. Take your conscience as your judge. Bring before it your sins. Search all the sins of your soul and ask for detailed account and ask it: `Why did you dare to do that sin or the other one?`
If it refuses to judge your own sins and judges the sins of the others tell it :
`I do not judge you for the sins of the others. It is not for these I have called you to justify yourself. What do you care if another one is a sinner? I ask you: `why did you do that sin or the other one? Defend yourself and do not accuse another one! Look at your sins and not at the sins of the others!
Punish your soul with such questions without cease !
Excerpt from Homilies at Matthew, homily XLII, III, in Church Fathers and Writers (1994), vol. 23 – Saint John Chrysostom.
