Page:Thecompleteascet01grimuoft.djvu/356

 picions, and  doubts. To entertain  a  rash  doubt  regarding another  is  a  defect;  to  indulge  a  positive  suspicion is a  greater  fault,  and  to  judge  with  certainty  without certain grounds  that  another  has  sinned,  is  still  more criminal before  God. Whoever judges  rashly  of  his neighbor shall  be  judged  with  severity. ''Judge not,  that you  may  not  be  judged. For with  what  judgment  you  judge you  shall  be  judged.'' But  although  it  is  sinful  to  judge evil of  others  without  certain  grounds,  still  it  is  not  a violation  of  the  divine  law  to  suspect  or  even  to  judge evil of  them  when  we  have  certain  motives  for  such suspicions or  judgments. However, the  safest  and most charitable  rule  is  to  think  well  of  all,  and  to banish  all  such  judgments  and  suspicions. Charity, says the  Apostle,  thinketh  no  evil.  But  this  rule  is  not  to be  observed  by  the  religious  who  hold  the  office  of  Superior, or  of  Mistress  of  novices. Because, to  prevent evil, it  is  their  duty  to  suspect  whenever  there  are grounds of  suspicion. But if  by  your  office  you  are  not charged with  the  correction  of  others,  endeavor  always to judge  favorably  of  all  your  sisters. St. Jane  Frances de Chantal  used  to  say  that  "  in  our  neighbor  we  should observe  only  what  is  good." Should you  sometimes through mistake  praise  in  others  what  is  censurable,  you will never  have  reason  to  repent  of  your  error. " Charity," says  St. Augustine, "grieves  not  when  she  erroneously thinks  well  of  what  is  evil." St. Catharine  of Bologna  once  said:  "  I  have  lived  for  many  years  in  religion, and  have  never  thought  ill  of  any  of  my  sisters; because  I  know  that  a  person  who  appears  to  be  imperfect may  be  more  dear  to  God  than  another  whose  con-