Luke 6:39-42

1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22b-27

Psalm 84:3, 4, 5-6, 12

Luke 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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I once again ask that you enlighten me so that I can eradicate all hypocrisy from my life. Show me where I profess one thing and do another. Show me where I judge the faults of others and am blind to my own faults. Grant me your grace and soften the hardness of my heart.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Walking in the Light of Christ: Saint Paul worked tirelessly to preach the Gospel to all the nations. It was his vocation, his response to God’s calling, an obligation imposed on him out of love. Today’s Gospel message asks us to walk in the light of Christ. If we are spiritually blinded by sin, we will stumble and cannot lead others along the path to holiness. In the Gospel, we see Jesus accuse the Pharisees of being blind guides. Instead of teaching people the heart of the law, the Pharisees concentrated on the minor aspects of the Law. Instead of leading the people into the Kingdom of God, they made it more difficult for them to enter.

2. The Blinding Effect of Sin: Sin has a blinding effect because it darkens our reason. It makes us ignorant. Grace, on the other hand, enlightens our reason and makes us wise. The spiritually blind cannot open their own eyes. The Lord is the only one who can open our eyes (Psalm 146:8). When Jesus cures a blind man, it is a sign that points to something greater. Curing spiritual blindness is actually greater than curing physical blindness. When Jesus heals the paralyzed man, it testifies to his ability to forgive sins. To receive God’s mercy we must admit our faults. Blindness is not the only effect of sin. Sin also enslaves us. Saint Paul enjoys the freedom of the children of God. A child of God, though, serves and is a slave to all. A child of God does not come to be served, but to serve.

3. The Crown of Glory: Paul compares our life to a race. We are like runners in a stadium who run not for a laurel crown or an Olympic medal but for an imperishable crown. To get the crown of glory, though, we need to accept the crown of thorns. When we work to uproot sin and vice, we imitate athletes who drive their bodies and train them. We do not do this alone, because our ascetic efforts ought to be sustained by God’s grace. Part of our effort in the race of our life involves removing the wooden beams of sin in our lives. What is my wooden beam? Am I blinded by pride or lust or greed or anger? The first step toward sight is simple: turn to Jesus the Divine Physician. He can remove the wooden beam and cure us.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me remove the wooden beam from my eye and see clearly. I want to contemplate all things with the help of divine wisdom. I want to see my own faults and sins clearly so that I can truly help others on the path to salvation.

Living the Word of God: How am I doing in the race of life? How has the race gone so far? Where and when have I stumbled? Where and when have I run well? What does the future of the race look like?