Pope Francis yesterday urged people to look within themselves at their own faults, before condemning others.
Too often it is easier to it is easier to condemn the defects and sins of others, without being able to see one's own so clearly, he said before the Angelus in St Peter's Square, Rome.
"We always hide our faults, we also hide them from ourselves; instead, it is easy to see the defects of others."
The temptation is to be indulgent with oneself and condemning of others, he continued.
"It is always useful to help others with wise counsel, but while we observe and correct the defects of our neighbour, we must also be aware that we have defects. If I believe I do not have them, I can not condemn or correct others. We all have flaws: everyone. We must be aware of this and, before condemning others, we must look within ourselves. We can thus act in a credible way, with humility, witnessing to charity."
He was speaking after a torrid few days for the Catholic Church, with the conviction of Cardinal George Pell on child sexual assualt charges, the conclusion of his own summit on the protection of minors, and the release of a new book, In the Closet of the Vatican, alleging many priests are routinely unchaste.
Quoting the day's Gospel reading, from Luke, he said: "Why do you look at the straw in your brother's eye and do not notice the beam in your eye?" he reminded those in the square of Jesus' own words – that there is no good tree that produces bad fruit, nor is there any bad tree that produces a good fruit.
"In fact every tree is recognised by its fruit," said Pope Francis.
This includes the most harmful practice of all – "the murmuring, the chattering, speaking badly about others".
Wars begin from such talk, he continued. "This destroys; it destroys the family, destroys the school, destroys the workplace, destroys the neighbourhood."
He urged listeners in the square to think about this teaching of Jesus and ask themselves: "Do I speak badly about others?" Instead of digging the dirt on others, people should first correct themselves.
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