Rev. Fr. Marcel Ajoket, a priest from the Soroti Catholic Diocese has called upon Christians to abandon the habit of harshly criticizing others and instead adopt a more compassionate and prayerful approach.
Fr. Ajoket, who serves as the parish priest at the Most Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Parish in Dakabela and also doubles as the Director of Communications for SSOCCOM emphasized the need for self reflection and humility in our daily Christian lives.
Drawing inspiration from the Gospel reading of the fifth sunday of lent Year C, Fr. Ajoket referred to the biblical story of the woman caught in adultery a passage taken from the Gospel of John, Chapter 8.
In the story, a group of people brings the woman before Jesus, ready to stone her as per the Law of Moses.
However, Jesus responds with profound wisdom, saying, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.”
One by one, the accusers drop their stones and walk away. Jesus then tells the woman, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”
This powerful biblical moment Fr. Ajoket explained, is a perfect example of how we should treat one another with mercy not condemnation.
He urged Christians to internalize this teaching and resist the temptation to play the role of judge over others.
“Before you condemn someone else, take a moment to reflect on your own life,” he said.
“You may find that you have committed sins even greater than the ones you’re condemning”, he added.
Fr. Ajoket was especially concerned about the growing trend among Christians to perceive themselves as holier or more righteous than others.
This attitude he said, leads many to look down upon their fellow believers and treat them as unworthy of God’s grace.
“Christians tend to claim to be more righteous than others,” he observed, adding that this mindset is spiritually dangerous.
He continued to explain that many people live with the illusion that they are close to God simply because they haven’t committed certain visible or scandalous sins.
However, this perspective fails to recognize that sin comes in many forms and that some of the most damaging sins are hidden in the heart, such as pride, envy and hatred.
Fr. Ajoket offered a striking example to illustrate his point.
He spoke about how so people tends to look down on prisoners, assuming that they are all morally bankrupt because they were caught committing crimes.
Meanwhile, many people outside prison walls may have committed equally serious offenses but were simply never caught.
“It’s easy to point fingers at those behind bars,” he said.
“But what about those who commit crimes in secret? What about those who break moral laws daily, yet present themselves as holy because they have never been exposed?”
He warned against the common Christian behavior of condemning others for the sins we personally do not commit, while ignoring or minimizing the sins we struggle with ourselves.
“We criticize others for the sins they fall into, forgetting that we ourselves are guilty of sins they may have not committed,” he said.
He also cautioned against the spiritual arrogance that leads some believers to think that they alone are favored by God.
This type of thinking, he noted, can cause division, pride and judgment within the Christian community.
“Thinking that you are the only one who walks with God is dangerous,” he said. “It leads you to condemn others and forget that salvation is a journey for everyone.”
He urged Christians to shift their focus away from the faults of others and instead work on their own spiritual growth.
Rather than gossiping or pointing out people’s failures, he advised believers to pray for one another, support one another and encourage repentance without shame or condemnation.
“We live in a world where the moment you sin, people treat you like you are the worst person alive,” Fr. Ajoket said.
“But in God’s eyes, we are all sinners in need of grace. That’s why we must learn to walk with humility and help others rise instead of bringing them down.”
He encouraged the faithful to adopt the spirit of Jesus Christ, who came not to condemn the world but to save it.
Christians, he said, must reflect this same love and compassion in their daily interactions.
Fr. Ajoket concluded his homily with an appeal to the congregation, “Let us stop judging. Let us stop condemning. Let us rent our hearts, repent, and pray for one another. We are all on this journey together and only with love can we truly reflect the heart of Christ.”
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