Eighth Sunday of the Year March 02, 2025
Sir 27:4-7; 1Cor 15:54-58; Luke 6:39-45
There is the tale of an old man walking at night carrying a lantern. A man walking from the opposite direction approached him and asked, "why would you carry a lantern even if you are walking at night? Night or day isn't the same to you, blind man? "Yes, it is", he said, "but not to you.". I'm carrying this light not for myself, but for you so that you could see me and not run into me." "Oh, I see, thanks" And he walked away. A bit later another man ran into the blind man and they both fell to the ground. "Can't you see? " the blind man inquired. "Can't you see? " The other man responded with the same question. "Well, I'm blind.". That’s why I’m carrying this lantern.” The blind man replied.
“Well, it’s gone out.
You didn’t realize that the oil has run out and the wick is just smoking.”
We also bear the light of our vocation, our fidelities, our faith. Soon the oil finishes and we have a smouldering wick left. We still bear it thinking that we are good models and examples until we make someone trip and fall and have turned into stumbling blocks and no longer lights!
Today's gospel in talking about blindness, Jesus reminds us of various kinds of blindness that we can be victims of. Not because we are evil people, but because we all perceive life differently. Blindness is not just physical, but can be emotional, mental and spiritual, etc. These influence our judgment and thus our decisions.
Jesus resorts to vivid imagery—a blind guide, a speck and a plank in the eye, a good tree and its fruit—to challenge us to live sincerely and not be hypocrites.
This section is so vivid because it is challenging us to be truthful regarding our own defects before we go out and seek to change others. In a society that thrives on speedy judgments, censure, and self-righteousness, Jesus is asking us to start from within and cultivate hearts that yield good fruits.
Let us meditate on three important themes of today's Gospel: (1) The risk of spiritual blindness, (2) The invitation to humility and examination, and (3) The need to bear good fruit.
1. The Danger of Spiritual Blindness
Jesus starts off by saying, "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?". This is a rhetorical and a very convicting question. A guide is a person who guides others in the right direction, but what if the guide himself is blind? Instead of guiding others, he leads them to harm.
This is a strong warning against spiritual blindness. It is simple to see the faults in others and yet be blind to our own. The Pharisees of Jesus' day were masters at accusing others of shortcomings while being unable to see their own need to convert. But before we rush to judge them, we should ask ourselves: Are we ever guilty of the same?
Spiritual blindness is dangerous because it keeps us from knowing the truth about ourselves and about God. It keeps us from becoming holier and can mislead others. The key to overcoming this blindness is humility—admitting our frailties and asking God's grace to become wiser and better.
2. The Call to Humility and Self-Examination
Jesus goes on to use another powerful image: "Why do you see the splinter in your brother's eye, but not the wooden beam in your own?" (Luke 6:41). This is a frequently quoted but seldom heeded verse.
It is human nature to notice the weaknesses in others but ignore our own. We are quick to judge, criticize, or correct, but reluctant to acknowledge our own weaknesses. Jesus reminds us that before we even try to take out the tiny speck from another person's eye, we need to first take out the big beam from our own.
This is not to mean that we should never correct. As Christians, we are called to fraternal correction. But this should be done out of love, humility, and self-knowledge. Are we correcting others out of love, or out of a sense of superiority? Are we more concerned about other people's shortcomings than our own conversion?
Lent is coming, a time of repentance and renewal. This Gospel reading encourages us to start looking at our hearts now. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to show us our weaknesses, our secret pride, and our blind spots. When we deal with others with humility instead of judgment, we become genuine followers of Christ.
3. The Significance of Bearing Good Fruit:
Jesus concludes today's Gospel with the dramatic image of a tree and fruit: "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" (Luke 6:43-44). This is easy yet deep. Just as a tree is identified by the quality of its fruit, an individual is identified by the goodness (or absence thereof) in his life. Our words, actions, and attitudes speak volumes about the state of our hearts.
If we are full of love, kindness, and mercy, our lives will automatically yield good fruit.
But if our hearts are full of bitterness, selfishness, and pride, the fruit we yield will be rotten.
Jesus reminds us: "From the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks". What is inside of us comes out in our words. Do our words encourage others, or do they tear them down? Do we speak kindly and truthfully, or do we gossip and criticize?
If we are to produce good fruit, we need to remain plugged into the source of life—Jesus Christ. A tree will not grow good fruit by itself; it requires sunlight, water, and fertilization. Similarly, we will not become holy unless God's grace intervenes. We need to remain anchored in prayer, the Bible, and the sacraments so that the Holy Spirit can live within us.
Some Practical Applications
As we reflect on today's Gospel, these are a few practical ways to live out Jesus' words in our daily lives:
Let us Examine our Own Heart First
Before judging others, let us make time for self-examination.
Let us pray to God to show us any areas in which we need conversion.
Let us go to others with humility and love, not judgment.
Let us be Mindful of Your Words
Let us speak words that build up, not destroy.
Let us refrain from gossip, slander, and baseless criticism.
Let us use our words to uplift and motivate others.
The message of Jesus today is very straightforward: before attempting to guide others, we need to be able to see first. If we wish to help others grow spiritually, we must first produce holiness in our lives. If we wish to bear good fruit, we need to be attached to Christ, the true vine. Let us accept today's Gospel as a call to greater humility, self-reflection, and spiritual renewal. Let us strive to take the planks out of our own eyes so that we may really assist our brothers and sisters in love. And let our lives produce good fruit that manifests Christ's heart to the world.
Happy Sunday
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