Judge not, (said our Lord), that ye be not judged. Our religious state is very defective, when we are ready to pronounce judgment on others, yet avoid to judge ourselves. The first is seldom our duty; the latter always is. It is a good rule, when we observe a fault in another, to see if we may not find two, perhaps greater, faults in ourselves. To suspect is not to judge, but is a step towards it; and, therefore, as a general rule, be not suspicious of evil. The habit of suspecting and judging others, marks that defect of character which we find in indolent persons, who take little heed of their own words or actions, while very ready to pick to pieces those of others. An old writer says, "it is a property of those who are diligent in judging and condemning others, to be very negligent as to their own faults." Thus the Jews (Saint Paul writes) judged the heathens, themselves being quite as evil, or worse, in life. Let us then, from this day forward, be careful to observe and judge ourselves, and let our prayer be, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified," for the necessity of this petition will be a sure result of close and honest self-observance.
- text taken from Daily Bread - Bring a Few Morning Meditations for the Use of Catholic Christians by Father Richard Waldo Sibthorp