Gospel Commentary for August 13, 2025

Today’s Gospel begins with a phrase from Jesus that makes me tremble. Jesus says, “If your brother sins…” and then gives some instructions about what to do. I’m not arguing with what Jesus says — of course not! But what makes me tremble is that first phrase. The reason is simple: how can I be sure that my brother has truly sinned?

I might be sure that he has done something objectively wrong. But from there to saying with certainty that he has sinned — with everything that “sin” means — is a big step.

In traditional moral teaching, to commit a mortal sin there are three conditions:
• it must be a serious matter (not just something minor),
• the person must give full consent — meaning they freely choose to do it,
• and they must have full knowledge — they know that what they are doing is a serious sin.

If someone doesn’t know what they’re doing or acts without realizing, then it isn’t a sin. These same principles apply to any kind of sin, not just mortal ones. We must be aware of our actions and freely choose them in order to say we’ve committed a sin.

Clearly, all of this happens inside a person’s conscience. That’s why — again — I can be sure that what I see my brother or sister doing is something wrong, whether big or small. But to say it’s a sin is another matter. That would mean I claim to know their heart, their inner motivations. And that’s a space where we must be very careful.

That’s why we must be cautious when judging others. We never really know what’s going on inside their conscience — their reasons, their struggles, their intentions. And that’s exactly the space where we must apply mercy — the same mercy that God shows me in all my own weaknesses.

This doesn’t mean we should never correct someone. But we must always do it with understanding and compassion. Never with harsh judgment, condemnation, or criticism.