Today’s reading from Matthew’s Gospel has Jesus’ instruction forbidding us to judge and condemn the heart. No one has access to the hidden intentions that animate another’s actions, nor can one know another’s level of culpability as determined by their circumstances and their level of moral or religious instruction. Karla Manternach relates her transformation in applying our selected focus verse today, “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” My daughter used to get a star each time she remembered to bring her lunchbox home from school. We used star charts when she was also struggling to build other new skills. Recently she made one for me. She wasn’t the only one struggling – I was too. Although I knew how hard she was trying, I kept losing my temper when she failed to write down an assignment or forgot to turn in her work. “You always say you’re sorry after you yell at me,” she said, “but I don’t want ‘sorry.’ I want you to stop yelling.” It was humbling to hear that. I’d wanted to stop for a long time. I even thought I had tried everything: walking away, taking deep breaths, counting to ten. Now she gives me a star for every day that I keep my cool. Being accountable to her in such a concrete way has given me the push I needed to change. Lord Jesus, I am far from perfect. Please help me to change what I can.