The Blind Leading The Blind - September 9, 2016

September 9, 2016

Fifteen years ago this weekend (9/11/01), an evil heinous act of hate was orchestrated against our country on our own turf. We all remember exactly where we were when we found out about this terrible string of events and time stood still for many hours to follow as we were glued to our televisions and telephones waiting for more news. We watched the hideous scene over and over again. We saw terrified Americans running and fighting for their lives. We witnessed death and destruction and we mourned together, as one nation under God, the loss of lives caused by such a violent and catastrophic crime. I believe it is no accident that today’s gospel falls on this anniversary and with the year of mercy upon us. It is a difficult gospel to swallow in the shadow of 9/11 isn’t it? But, I feel like we need to take a look at it in the light of Christ so that we will not become the blind leading the blind. 

Following Jesus is not always a walk in the park and this gospel is where the rubber meets the road. He starts off by asking, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?” Perhaps he looked right at the Pharisees when he said this or perhaps he is looking right at me, I’m not sure. But Jesus very clearly tells us in the next sentence that we need to be cautious with whom we choose to learn because, “No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher.” I don’t know about you, but I want my teacher to be Christ so that when I am fully trained, I will be like him. However, that means that especially on days like today, I need to do a personal inventory of the planks in my own eye before I can even begin to see other people’s planks. As long as I have my own sin clouding my vision, I will not be able to see things clearly enough to be able to help others clean up their lives. I need to be actively addressing my own sin and failures before I can teach others to do the same. It is difficult for sure, but it has to be this way, Jesus says so. 

I know this example has been overused, however, it makes total sense when on an airplane the safety speech says that we must first put the oxygen mask over our own face before we can help others. When Mother Teresa first started serving the poor on the streets of Calcutta, she was giving her own lunch away to the hungry everyday until one day she collapsed because she had gone without eating. She realized that the only way she could serve others was to first make sure that she was in good and proper health both physically and spiritually. So the Sisters of Charity spend at least one hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament everyday and they make sure that they are fed and physically well before even going out into the streets. If we are well, then those that we serve have a better chance of becoming well because they will learn from us. The Bible shows us very clearly how sin trickles down through generations and as it drips it grows stronger and develops deeper roots. If we make the effort to examine our lives on a daily basis, checking for planks, and getting rid of them regularly, we have one more tool in our hands to become fully trained as another Christ in the world. 

I know today’s reflection is more sobering than I normally write and it is minus a funny and whimsical anecdote, but I think the sentiment of 9/11 calls for us to sober up and to ask ourselves the hard questions that Jesus does in the gospel, “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.” You see it’s not that we are not called to remove the junk in our brother’s eyes, but we MUST first do the same to ourselves, and that is the hard part because it requires that we look at ourselves in a mirror. Would the person looking back at you be someone that others would want to be like? If I’m being honest…most days I think so, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty and I need to admit that I am a hypocrite sometimes, I think I need some work. I need to do some honest inventory of my own transgressions in broken relationships, and I need to come clean before I can expect any sort of reconciliation. That sucks, but walking around with a plank in my eye sucks even more. 

Jesus wants us to see clearly and he wants us to be real. So on this day when we meditate on planks and planes, let us not forget that the only way to see is to clear out the debris in our lives, and to be fully trained by our teacher Jesus to love our neighbor as ourselves. It’s good to sober up every now and then. In this year of mercy, we will be challenged to step outside ourselves to do what is right. Are you ready for this challenge? 

Reading 1 1 COR 9:16-19, 22B-27

Brothers and sisters:
If I preach the Gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,
for an obligation has been imposed on me,
and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach, I offer the Gospel free of charge
so as not to make full use of my right in the Gospel.

Although I am free in regard to all,
I have made myself a slave to all
so as to win over as many as possible.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the Gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it.

Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race,
but only one wins the prize?
Run so as to win.
Every athlete exercises discipline in every way.
They do it to win a perishable crown,
but we an imperishable one.
Thus I do not run aimlessly;
I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing.
No, I drive my body and train it,
for fear that, after having preached to others,
I myself should be disqualified.

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

R. (2) How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
My soul yearns and pines 
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young—
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
For a sun and a shield is the LORD God;
grace and glory he bestows;
The LORD withholds no good thing
from those who walk in sincerity. 
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!

Alleluia SEE JN 17:17B, 17A

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 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.”