DAILY GRACE
September 11, 2020, Friday of the 23rd Week of Ordinary Time
Scripture: Luke 6:39-42
He also told them a parable: ‘Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, “Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye”, when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Meditation:
“‘. . . . then you will see clearly . . . . ”
Today is the 19th anniversary of September 11, 2001. As I write this I can see the planes slamming into the World Trade Center towers. What hatred, what blindness of heart was at work in the terrorists that fateful and awful day. 9/11, like Pearl Harbor Day, “lives in infamy.” We will not forget!
The terrorist acts of 9/11 were the result of blindness, a blindness of heart. In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses images and short parables of blindness to warn his disciples, and us, against deliberated blindness of heart. The description of the two blind persons leading each other and ending up in a ditch would be humorous if it wasn’t so pitiful and painfully tragic. Jesus is warning his disciples and us not to get lost in little things to the point that we fail to see the big things and become spiritually blind, just like the two people in the parable.
Jesus challenges the disciples to apply his teaching not only intellectually, but also with their hearts and wills. He challenges us as well. If we take time for prayer, reflective reading of the Scriptures, and a daily examination on our relationships, we discover how today’s lesson applies to our lives.
Jesus says, “Take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.”, or at least admit we need to change directions before trying to set someone else straight. If we could only keep that in our mind and our heart how much better this world would be!
Prayer
Lord, help me to face those areas of my life that I am afraid to look at. Help me to remove the logs in my own eyes.
Contemplation
Jesus, help me to see.