In our world of instant news and information, we are constantly confronted by stories that judge other people. Our media, including social media, gives us conclusions without much examination of facts.

This reality often hit home to me when I was a prison chaplain. After sitting in court and hearing a certain case then reading about it later, it amazed me how the inclusion of certain facts and the absence of others completely changed the story. Yet in a way this is how we (I should say I) often judge the actions of others.

I find this is easy to do in my everyday life. This is where Mary MacKillop’s example of always speaking with charity about other’s challenges me. Obviously to speak always with love and care means she thought in a loving and caring way.

This virtue of loving charitable speech stood the test of so many instances in her life where she continued to speak charitably in the face of the nastiness of others. She spoke and acted consistently with love even in such difficult situations.

She was able to forgive so completely those who harmed her in word and deed.

It is a challenge to think and act in a loving way in all circumstances including our judgment of self. We need this gift of true love of self and others. This virtue changes how we see life.

In the harshness of the lives of so many the caring word or action can encourage and enable. We are frequently unaware how others need the loving word or action.

Margaret Robertson rsj