Often what we see is the glaring faults of others. Some are harsh in their critique while others are harsh in their punishment. Then there are some who do nothing upfront but in their hearts have written the offenders off. We demand perfection in others while we ourselves are imperfect.
What if we looked at ourselves through the eyes of Jesus? What would we see? The heinous repulsive sinner! That we rightly are? Or the lost sheep that He loves and wants to save? What if we looked at our brethren through that same loving eyes of our Lord?
Jesus, You did not come into the world to condemn it but that through You we might be saved. Fill us with Your love and by Your grace we that may be loving, gentle shepherds for Your sheep. And lead them back to You. Amen
First reading
1 Timothy 1:1-2,12-14
From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus appointed by the command of God our saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, true child of mine in the faith; wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Mercy, however, was shown me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus.
Gospel
Luke 6:39-42
Jesus told a parable to the disciples, ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.’
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