The Splinter in Your Brother's Eye

 Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

 

The old saying goes, “ I didn’t realize you were such a fool, until you opened your mouth and started speaking.” Perhaps that saying comes from the verse we heard today from the ancient Book of Sirach: “so too does one’s speech disclose the bent of one’s mind. Praise no one before he speaks, for it is then that people are tested.” In other words, what we say reveals who we are.

 

In today’s gospel Jesus, as he usually does, goes even further. He understands that words alone can be deceptive, and that deeds matter even more. People can say one thing but really mean another. Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites because their deeds do not match their words. Hypocrite is a Greek word for actor, someone who just plays a role that has nothing to do with the person they really are. We’ve seen the masks they used in those days to cover their faces and indicate emotions like joy or sorrow.

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We can easily understand what Jesus means when he criticizes those who find fault in others but fail to see the even greater fault in themselves. “Why do you see the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own.” Cure yourself first, he says, before you find blame in others. He goes on to say that our deeds, more than our words, are a better indicator of what kind of person we are. 

 

In a well-known parable Jesus told about a man who had two sons. When he asked the first to go work in the family fields, he quickly answered yes, but then never showed up to work. The other son bluntly refused, but then thought better of it, and showed up to work. The meaning is clear, it is better to walk the walk than talk the talk. What does this parable mean for us?

 

It is so easy to overlook or forget the words and deeds of Jesus himself. In today’s gospel, He says, “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…” These words have a special meaning for us today. Many of us have friends or family that have left the faith and no longer receive the sacraments. Many of us have children who no longer attend Mass and who often refuse to baptize their own children. Some have even become bitterly hostile to Christianity and Catholicism.

 

Despite our chagrin, we must still consider the words and deeds of Jesus in dealing with this modern phenomenon. We must consider that if those we think are lost are actually producing good fruit, it must spring from the goodness of their hearts. That’s what Jesus said. Let me give an example. I know a man who not only left his childhood faith but also dismisses it as so much garbage. Nevertheless, although he  will have nothing to do with Mass or the sacraments, he is the most charitable person I know. If you need something, he is always there. His good deeds spring from the goodness within.

 

It would be the height of hypocrisy to blame or condemn someone who does so much good. It would be a great sin to cut off relations with someone like him because he cannot share in our worship. Many people complain today that Christians, especially Catholics, are judgmental or intolerant. But actually, it is our faith that requires us not to judge lest we be judged, and to love our neighbor, whatever their beliefs, as ourselves.

 

Today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians ends with this exhortation: “my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. “ That’s all it takes.

 

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Sirach: 27: 4-7

First Corinthians: 15: 54-58

Luke: 6: 39-43 (Sayings of Jesus)

Love Your Enemies

                                              7th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Today's gospel continues St. Luke's version of the Sermon on the Mount which we began last week. Here we encounter Jesus's famous command to "love your enemies." Perhaps this is the reason the Church gives us the story of David and King Saul in today's first reading.

The movies have distorted our vision of Bible history. In most Hollywood biblical epics the characters all look so noble. They wear flowing robes or tunics, live in gorgeous palaces, and speak with beautiful English accents. For today's episode, set as it is in the desert of Ziph, it would be better if we tried to imagine ourselves in an American western or in one of the Italian Spaghetti westerns. 

King Saul, the King or Chief of the Israeli tribe, has led his warriors out into the desert in pursuit of the upstart warrior, David. The old king is envious of David's victories in battle and his growing popularity within the tribe, and he has set out to capture and kill him. After Saul and his men pitch camp for the night, David and his right hand man, Abishai, evade the sentries and enter the Israeli camp.

The two find Saul sleeping and Abishai urges David to take advantage of the opportunity, "Let me nail him to the ground with one thrust of the spear..." Now all you have to do is glance through the rest of the Book of Samuel to see that David is no pacifist. He is a warrior who never shrinks from killing. Yet in this case he draws back--"for who can lay hands on the Lord's anointed and remain unpunished." Anointing with holy oils was the sign that the King had been chosen by God, that the King was in fact God's representative on earth. David seems motivated here more by fear of the Lord than by love of his enemy. 

Let's turn now to the gospel passage where Jesus is seemingly once again being so impractical. How unnatural He sounds. Love your enemies, turn the other cheek, give your tunic as well as your cloak, do not demand repayment, lend money without expecting repayment. But is it so impractical? Let's look at some examples from our own daily life especially since we are about to enter the season of Lent. Maybe the Sermon on the Mount contains some things that we can do right now. 

First, what about love our enemies? Now we don't have to look to Russia or China to find enemies. Our enemies are right here in our midst. Children, how many times have you fought with your own brother or sister in the last week? How many fights have you had about who sits where in the family car? It's good to give up candy for Lent but it would be even better to give up selfishness and share with your brothers and sisters.

As we get older this advice is even more important. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. In fact what family could function well unless if follows this advice. Husbands and wives who hold anything back in their relationship are doomed to failure. Is this the reason why so many marriages fail today? For Lent let's resolve to intensify our love. Let's bring the spirit of St. Valentine's day into Lent.

In athletics how often do we read of selfish stars who refuse to help their less talented teammates. This selfishness starts even in little league. When I was a softball coach I learned that sooner or later the ball would be hit to the worst fielder on the team and usually at a crucial time. The teammate that we fail to help could cost us a championship. Really, isn't our Lord saying that hatred and anger hurt us more than the people we hate. I knew a man who never forgave his sister for failing to pay back a small debt. Who was hurt? What good did his grudge do for him? How many of us have not spoken with our own brothers and sisters for years over some trivial slight? The best thing that we could do this Lenten season would be to get on the phone and just say hello.

Our Lord promises us that if we act miserably, we will be miserable. If we act generously, we will become generous. He has said that His yoke is easy and His burden light. Look how he let's us off the hook and opens up the way to happiness: Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. He isn't naive or impractical. He knew that workers were paid in those days by filling their aprons with grain. Bosses liked to get away with filling the aprons loosely because packing it down and shaking the air out would benefit the workers.

As St. Paul says in the second reading, we all bear the image of the earthly Adam, but our Lord Himself is the heavenly Adam and if we choose, we shall also bear His image. Let's make sure that this Lent we do not take the spear and nail the Lord's Anointed One to the Cross.

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Reading 1. 1 Samuel 26: 2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

 Reading II. I Corinthians 15: 45-49

 Gospel. Luke 6: 27-38 (Love your enemies)

Beatitudes: the Road to Happiness

                       6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

One of the problems that the Church faces today is that we have lost the meaning of words, which were once perfectly clear. For example, I think that "salvation" is one of these words. I would bet that most people don't think of salvation as a goal. However, if we were to discover that salvation means "happiness," then it's a different story. Who wouldn't want to be happy, especially if the happiness was forever or eternal?

 

How many best sellers today deal with the search for happiness? How many TV programs are devoted to the same subject? Yet today, despite our advanced technology, our great wealth, and our educational achievements, there is still so much unhappiness in our world. 

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Happiness is the subject of today's readings from Scripture. It has been said that there are three steps on the stairway to happiness. First, we have to recognize that we can't achieve it on our own. We are finite or imperfect. We just are not equipped with the ability or the tools to do it on our own. In today’s first reading the prophet Zephaniah proclaims that the road to happiness is not the one we would think to take. He indicates that those who seek riches, power, and fame will not be happy.

 

            Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth,

            Who have observed his law;

            Seek justice, seek humility,…

 

In other words, when we seek happiness through money or power or fame or sex or recognition we are bound to fail. Just read the newspapers every day. I knew someone who hated her job so much that it was literally making her physically and psychologically ill. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to leave it because even though she was financially secure, she thought she needed even more money. She was so unhappy!

 

In last week’s gospel St, Matthew gave his account of the calling of the first disciples. Even though the Evangelist named only Peter, Andrew, James and John, we must understand that we have also been called to be disciples. What does that mean? What does it involve? In all the gospel readings from now to Lent, we are going to get the answer to those questions.

 

In the gospel today Matthew brings us the famous Sermon on the Mount. Right before today's reading our Lord had gone up to a mountain to pray. Afterwards he had called his disciples to him. That's where we begin today. Jesus had already gained a reputation as a healer but now he begins to teach.  

 

He preaches the "Beatitudes."  Beatitude, blessed, bliss: all mean happiness. The second step to happiness is to be open to the truth when we hear it. Whenever Jesus speaks to his disciples, we can be sure that He is speaking to us. 

 

            Blessed (or Happy) are the poor in spirit…

            Blessed (or Happy) are they who mourn…

            Blessed (or Happy) are the meek…

            Blessed (or Happy) are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness…

            Blessed (or Happy) are the merciful…

            Blessed (or Happy) are the clean of heart…

            Blessed (or Happy) are the peacemakers… 

            Blessed (or Happy) are they who are persecuted…

            Blessed (or Happy) are you when they insult you…

 

Scholars tell us that poor in spirit does not mean gloomy. It refers to those conscious of their need of God’s help in striking contrast to the proud who are supremely confident of their own ability. The greatest of all virtues, Humility, is here contrasted with Pride, the greatest of all vices. The rest of the beatitudes deal with the same idea. The proud, the arrogant, the self-righteous, the impure, the warlike, the persecutors will not find happiness. 

 

The road to happiness is not the popular road. Once we're open to the Truth we can then take the third step and apply it in our own lives. The man who marries must give up his own ambitions and dreams, his own life, for his wife: and she must do so also. Parents give up their lives for their children. Who ever said that would be easy? Priests and religious give up their lives in the service of others. St. Paul says that single people even have a greater responsibility or opportunity for self-sacrificing love.

 

So, the road to happiness is open to ordinary people who just lead ordinary lives. In today’s second reading from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he makes the same point.

 

“Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters,

Not many of you were wise by human standards,

Not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.”

 

“Rather God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,

And God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,

And God chose the lowly and despised of the world,…

To reduce to nothing those who are something…”

 

At the very outset of his public life Jesus began to teach and his teaching was all about humility. It’s not that we need to grovel in the dirt, we just have to understand who we are to achieve happiness.

 

 

“Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.”

 

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Fishers of Men

                      5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

                      C cycle

 

 

Today might very well be called Vocation Sunday. The word vocation comes from the Latin word "vocare" which means to call. In each of the readings today, someone is called and in each case it is someone who feels unworthy or unable.*

 

In the first reading Isaiah has a vision of the heavenly Throne surrounded by angels and he is filled with fear.  Isaiah says,

 

       Woe is me, I am doomed!

       For I am a man of unclean lips,

       living among a people of unclean lips....

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Then one of the angels--and angels are always sent by God--around the throne flies to him and touches his mouth with a flaming ember and heals him. "See, now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged." Then Isaiah hears the Lord asking, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" and answers the call, "Here I am,...send me!"

 

In today's gospel from Luke, chapter 5, we hear the story of the calling of the first Apostles, in particular, Peter. Now in the previous chapter Luke recounted that Jesus had already worked his healing powers on many people in Galilee. It was this reason that led the people to crowd around him at the lakeside. One of his cures had been Peter's own mother-in-law and so it's no wonder that Peter allowed our Lord to use his boat and followed his directions. 

 

I love St. Peter. He is always impetuous, headstrong, and without guile. He is the prototype of all the great comic sidekicks in literature, from Don Quixote's Sancho Panza to Luke Skywalker's robots. "No, master," they always say, "we can't go there, we can't do that." In this case Peter thinks that the Lord is being a little impractical when He asks him to put out into the deep and lower his nets. "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,..."

 

Peter's astonishment at the incredible catch of fish reminds us of the fear that Isaiah felt. He falls at the knees of Jesus and says, "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man." Jesus answers with the famous call, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." I must confess that in this instance I prefer the old translation, where these fishermen are called to be "Fishers of Men."

 

Whatever the translation, they still responded to the call--"they left everything and followed Him."

 

Finally, in the second reading St. Paul reminds the Corinthians of his own calling. Recalling all those who had seen Christ after His Resurrection, he says.

 

       Last of all...he appeared to me.

       For I am the least of the apostles,

       not fit to be called an apostle,

       because I persecuted the church of God.

 

Isaiah, Peter, Paul, they all recognized their unworthiness or weakness, but all came to realize that God's grace would give them the strength. As Paul said, "I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.”

 

We would make a mistake if we believed that vocations are only for priests and religious. Peter, James, and John were fisherman. Paul although extremely well educated was a tentmaker by trade. Today's readings are for all of us. We all have our vocation or calling in life. 

 

Another mistake would be to think that we're not ready or prepared. Who would ever enter into one of life's great callings if they had the slightest idea of the trials and tribulations that they would encounter on life's journey? Peter and Paul did not go through a long period of training or study before they were called. That would come afterwards. When our Lord appeared to them they recognized that they were not ready but they couldn't resist Him. 

 

Finally, another mistake would be to look inside of us for the call. Today's readings tell us that the call will usually come from outside. Our Lord appears to Peter at the side of the lake and to Paul on the road to Damascus.  We should not expect to hear some kind of inner voice. In another place in the gospels our Lord tells us that when we did the least thing for one of our brothers, we did it for Him. In the same way when we hear someone asking us to do something or to undertake some task, we might consider that the Lord is speaking through them.

 

I'll never forget my dear aunt Nan. She had no children of her own but when my mother died when I was only 11 she stepped up and became a virtual mother to myself and my two younger brothers. Didn't the Lord speak to her through her widowed brother and three young nephews. Like Isaiah she responded, "Here I am."

 

If today you hear His Voice, harden not your hearts.

 

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*Today's image is Caravaggio's famous version of the calling of Matthew. Click on image to enlarge.

Reading 1. Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8.

Reading II. I Corinthians 15: 1-11

Gospel. Luke 5: 1-11 (Fishers of Men).