• Do not judge others, especially those who would not be idealistic like you on that day. 

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. III

  • Let us not then make ourselves unworthy of entrance into the bride-chamber, for as long as we are in this world, even if we commit countless sins it is possible to wash them all away by manifesting repentance for our offenses; but when once we have departed to the other world, even if we display the most earnest repentance it will be of no benefit, not even if we gnash our teeth, beat our breasts, and utter innumerable calls for relief, no one with the tip of his finger will apply a drop to our burning bodies, but we shall only hear those words which the rich man heard in the parable: “Between us and you a great gulf has been fixed.” Let us then, I beseech you, recover our senses here and let us recognize our Master as He ought to be recognized.

    ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM ON REPENTANCE &
    DEFEATING DESPAIR
    Letters to Theodore

  • “We must be careful not to judge – extremely careful! It is so terrible that it is beyond words! “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Have we kept this? Even if we have no virtue but we don’t judge, Christ will save us and take us to Paradise.”

    —Blessed Gerondissa Makrina of Portaria

  • “Do not be a frequent rebuker of others, and if you must, do so without hurting them. Do not assume the worst in others, nor try to catch them out in word or action. Do not make them feel that you have the posture of their critic or enemy”

    H.H. Pope Shenouda III

  • We have to discriminate between different kinds of judging. Sin begins when we start to despise a person in our heart because of some fault which he has committed. It is possible to judge quite simply, without bringing in a verdict against the person we judge. And if at the same time we feel pity in our heart for the person at fault, sincerely desiring his amendment of life and  praying that he may do better in future, then there will be no sin in judging but, on the contrary, to judge him would be as much an act of love as is possible in such a case.

    The sin of judging is more in the heart than on the lips. Talking about a particular thing may be a sin or not, depending upon the feeling with which the words are said. Feeling gives the speech its character. It is best to refrain from any kind of judging, for fear of becoming censorious; in other words, it is best not to come too close to the fire and the soot so as not to be burned and blackened. We should do better to direct our censure and criticism against ourselves. 

    St Theophan the Recluse

  • We should be careful not to provoke or embitter one another. Let us behave in a gentle, courteous manner, loving our neighbor and not criticizing or judging anyone. Criticism is the greatest and most terrible sin.

    Gerondissa Makrina (Vassopoulou)

  • Beware of justifying yourself, finding excuses and putting the blame on others or on circumstances! On the day of judgment, God is not going to ask you about the circumstances or about others. He is going to ask you about yourself.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, WORDS OF SPIRITUAL BENEFIT VOL. II

  • It does not please God to see one justifying himself, finding excuses as Adam and Eve did. Instead of judging themselves in front of God they started blaming someone else.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, WORDS OF SPIRITUAL BENEFIT VOL. II

  • St. John Chrysostom says, “If you are unable to carry the sins of others and relate them to yourself, try at least not to judge another and let him carry your sins…

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, WORDS OF SPIRITUAL BENEFIT VOL. II

  • How dangerous is the feeling that we are the only ones worshiping God, or the only ones with principles!

    There are those who judge the whole generation and judge all people as being lost and corrupted! They forget that there are those who are chosen by God, whom they might not know, but God knows them.

    The one who has love rejoices at having many like him or even better than him. As for the self-conceited, this matter troubles him, or at least does not cheer him! He thinks it is a challenge to him. He does not even care about God, but about himself.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, WORDS OF SPIRITUAL BENEFIT VOL. II