"... in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Reflections on the readings for the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (February 27, 2022): Sirach 27:4-7; PS 92:2-3,13-14,15-16; 1 COR 15:54-58; LK 6:39-45
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
Our Lord wants us to have a real and positive effect on the lives of those around us.
Jesus urges His hearers to examine their hearts through several brief parables in Luke’s Gospel. He urges them to understand themselves and their relations with others in the context of their bond with God. We need to keep on learning from Christ in order to really be His disciples. Otherwise, we will be blind to the whole truth that He wants to share with us. We might even make the mistake of trusting those who are blind themselves. Only those who open themselves completely to God’s will and embrace His wisdom can persevere in following His way and teaching it to others. Also, Christ does not want us to either become complacent about our faith or feel superior to others. “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” (Luke 6:41-42). We need to look at our motives when we find fault with those around us. Perhaps the very flaw they exhibit is one that we have and do not want to admit. Or it might be something we dislike or disagree with, but is not actually wrong. We might even be judging because we want to, not because we should. Christ wants us to be humble enough to acknowledge our own shortcomings. It may occasionally be our actual responsibility to tell others about their weaknesses. More often, it is not. It is our own lives and consciences we need to examine regularly -- not those of family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or anyone else.
Christ’s message in this Gospel reading may make us uncomfortable. Surely, that is what He wanted. When He says that a tree is known by its fruit, He wants us to think about our words and deeds. Do they produce good in the larger world? Or do we only seek our own welfare, oblivious to the concerns of others? Our Lord wants us to have a real and positive effect on the lives of those around us. And we will, if we are His constant, humble disciples.
