Gospel – Luke 6:39-45
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.”A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good,
but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Reflection on the Gospel
Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.
How is easy it is to point out the faults in others before thinking about or reflecting on my own. Way too easy! Yet, I do it regularly and unfortunately, it can become second nature at times. Maybe this sentiment resonates with you on this last Sunday before Lent begins?
As Ash Wednesday approaches, Jesus greets us with good timing in today’s Gospel. He encourages us to examine our own symbolic wooden beams so as to see more clearly as we journey with our brothers and sisters, fellow Lasallians. Yes, we will be so much more equipped to accompany our fellow Lasallians on their journeys, students and colleagues alike, if we pause in the presence of God to reflect on the good God has created. Remember, God don’t make junk!
There are times in our lives when we need to pause and remind ourselves of that fact. Lasallian Reflection 4, “Lasallians: Hearts on Fire” tells us, “Our world still needs people who can witness to the tenderness of God. To do this, we must overcome the regrets and disappointments that assail us along the way to develop internal harmony and a purposeful life…The energy to do this comes from within.” Yes, exactly Jesus’ point today.
As Lasallians, we pray daily that Jesus will live in our hearts forever. We are reminded in today’s Gospel, “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good…” Let us work daily to continue to be the good people we are by feeding from the store of goodness in each of our hearts. This will certainly occur as often as we are willing to face our own beams, looking to remove them before we construct ways to remove the splinters in the eyes of our brothers and sisters.
I’m sure we all realize that it is so much easier to walk along with others and share lives with them when we are able to discard of our beams and therefore see the path ahead so much more clearly.
Live Jesus in Our Hearts…Forever!
Brother Richard Galvin, FSC
Auxiliary Visitor
Saint John Baptist de La Salle – Pray for us.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts – Forever.