Ten Counsels of St. John Avila

St. John of Avila presented ten counsels to lead a soul in the way to salvation.  His first counsel is:

At once reject from your mind not only rash judgment of your neighbor, but the very thought of his faults or sins.  Turn you mind toward God and show Him the wounds of your own soul that He may cure them.  (Finding Confidence in Times of Trial: The Letters of St. John of Avila)

The Divine Physician, Christ Jesus, heals the wounds inflected by sin.  Christ showers His healing mercy not on the self-righteous, but those who seek forgiveness.   He measures His mercy with the measure that we measure.   The merciful receive mercy, the merciless, none.

With the mercy and gentleness that Christ healed our wounds, we can approach our neighbor, as Christ taught  — first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye (Matthew 7:3-5), for all called to bring Christ to those we encounter.