Bishop Tobin on Not Judging Motives of People We Encounter

"After a ceremony in one of our parishes, I went to the social hall to meet people, moving table to table to do so. Some of the folks very respectfully stood up to greet me, a gesture sincerely appreciated but certainly unnecessary.

"One very nice lady started to stand up and I said, 'Please, ma'am, don't get up. Stay there and relax.' I went on speaking to some of the other people at the table when she started to get up again. 'Really, you don't have to get up' I insisted, placing my hand gently on her shoulder to discourage her.

"It was then that she looked at me with a fair amount of irritation and said, pointedly, 'Bishop, I'm trying to get up to get some cookies!'

"As my face turned as red as my zucchetto, I realized that I had completely misjudged her reasons for wanting to stand. It was a good reminder that we can never really judge someone's motives; we really can't read someone's heart."

In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on the importance of not judging the motives of others and only God knows what is really in their hearts.

To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:

The Imitation of Christ: She Just Wanted Some Cookies (13 FEB 20)