9-Sep-16

Gospel LK 6:39-42

Jesus told his disciples a parable:
“Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher;
but when fully trained,
every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’
when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?
You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”
Reflection:
Jesus told his disciples a parable:
“Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
The first step to self-improvement is to acquire an awareness of our "blindness," those things about ourselves that limit our ability to be an effective disciple of Jesus Christ.
What have I been blind to about myself?
With the help of my friends and self-examination, I have come to "see" that I can be impulsive and resentful when criticized.
Sadly, I tend to recognize those faults in others before I see them in myself.
If I hope to be "fully trained" so to be like the "teacher," I must practice patience and humility and continue to look within.
"Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother,' Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?"
I am never going to become completely non-judgmental. I am "hard wired" to make judgements: every time I cross the street or approach a yellow light while driving, I have to make a judgement.
But, I have no right to judge people.
The truth is, I have made many wrong judgements about people based on their circumstances or appearance.
There was the time I thought a man was lazy because he was not helping us carry beds from the truck into his house for his children to sleep on.
Then I learned that he had undergone a back operation a week earlier.
There was the time in a rough neighborhood when I judged a group of men as thugs and later learned they were gathered to study the Bible.
In these instances, and many others, I have often thought I heard the voice of Jesus whisper, "Jim, if I want a judge, I'll go down to probate court and get myself a judge. I need workers. Just carry the furniture, give them the crucifix and let them know that I love them."
"Those who spend time looking at the faults in others usually spend little time trying to discover their own faults." - - Unknown