FOR EVERY TREE CAN BE TOLD BY ITS OWN FRUIT

VIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 6:39-45

In this Sunday’s gospel, Luke puts together a few sayings of Jesus:

• the blind guiding the blind;
• the disciple is not superior to his teacher;
• having a plank in your eye, you want to take the splinter from your friend’s eye;
• a tree can be told by its fruit;
• a man’s words reveal what is in his heart.

These are wisdom sayings that may help us to examine ourselves and our surroundings. They may serve as signs along the road of life, warning us of danger ahead and indicating the direction we should follow.

Jesus asked: How can a blind guide the blind? Indeed, both will fall into a pit. And that is the situation we are finding ourselves in the world. The war which began with the invasion of Ukraine is a result of that. The leaders are blind people who prosper in deeds of darkness. Guided by false ideals, they are ready to lead the world to doom. All try to justify themselves with words of justice and peace. They are deluded and try to impose their delusion on others. In which way can be justified the invasion of an independent country? Is it for annexation or to impose a puppet government? We point fingers at Russia, but the United States did the same more than once. We can remember Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Iraq was invaded on basis of lies. Ukraine is being invaded based on a perceived threat to the security of Russia. Why can’t they live as brothers that share so much in common? When the leaders are blind, they lead the people into the pit of destruction and death.

It is so easy to see the failures in others while overlooking our own. Most of us are filled with a sense of self-righteousness and we are always ready to blame others for any shortcomings. Demonising the others, we are ready to destroy them or their good name. This happens at an individual level and also at the community and national level. Some consider themselves as reaching excellence, thus becoming models of democracy, freedom and justice. The others are the enemy, always full of evil intents. We live in the radiance of light, while they live in the darkness of oppression. Jesus invites us to do a serious self-examination and to recognise our failures and shortcomings:

“Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.”

Our deeds will be the proof of good or evil in us. And we cannot hide them. Sooner or later, our rottenness will come into the public eye; or the goodness which is in our heart will be recognised.

As the war rages in Ukraine, let us pray for peace.

“Let us pray.

Grant us, O Lord, we pray,

that the course of our world

may be directed by your peaceful rule

and that your Church may rejoice,

untroubled in her devotion.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.” (prayer of this Sunday’s mass)

THE LORD IS COMPASSION AND LOVE

VII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 6:27-38

When Moses asked God: “Please show me your glory.” (Ex 33:18), the “Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord” (Ex 34:5). Then, the Lord proclaimed:

“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Ex 34:6-7)

This is the way God speaks of himself and this proclamation is repeated throughout the Holy Scriptures and we can hear it again in this Sunday’s psalm: 

“The Lord is compassion and love,

  slow to anger and rich in mercy.” (Ps 103)

Many times in the past, even in the recent past, we had a distorted image of God, fabricating an image following our human nature, instead of remaining faithful to God’s revelation. We looked at God as an angry and harsh God always intent on catching us at the slightest fault and then punishing us with all the power of his rage. We lived in fear of God, instead of putting our trust in the Father who loves us with tender love. In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote: 

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Ro 8:15).

In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus orders us to imitate God’s mercifulness: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Lk 6:36).

Time and again, we are intent on revenge, allowing ourselves to be guided by our instincts, which lead us to violence, transforming us into the most vicious animal. Whenever we go through this path, we become an icon of Satan, the father of all evil. The only way to establish peace on earth is to follow the Prince of peace and become true images of God.

Revenge is seen in many cultures as an action to defend our honour. When someone is murdered, the relatives must exact vengeance upon the enemy who destroyed an innocent life. Then, it is no surprise that there are plenty of books telling stories built on revenge and plenty of videos on taking vengeance upon somebody because of past actions that injured the dignity of someone. Many wars started in that way, thus inflicting suffering and death on many who had very little to do with the original cause. This revenge is motivated by the duty to reestablish justice. However, justice cannot be enacted through violence. Instead of justice, we initiate a cycle of violence that will be difficult to stop. And with violence, we will bring all kinds of injustice and oppression. A man’s strength of character is shown in the control of his instincts and in the effort to become a true image of God: 

“Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly.” (Lk 4:27)

LET DOWN YOUR NETS FOR A CATCH

V SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 5:1-11

This Sunday’s gospel and the first reading that goes with the gospel puts us before God’s calling and then the mission which he entrusts to us. Both readings leave us with a feeling that God needs us or wants us to share in the fulfilment of his project. Surrounded by the crowd and to be seen and heard, Jesus asked Simon’s boat. Jesus showed himself to be always eager to look for the cooperation of the people who were with him. It is as if everybody should be involved. The boat is a symbol of the Church and the proclamation of the Gospel is made by the Church and in the Church. In this passage of the Gospel, Jesus is the first preacher, as he addresses himself to the crowds. However, as soon as he finished his preaching, Jesus prepares the ground for the continuation of his mission. And the order is clear: “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” The church must go out into deep waters. There is always the danger of taking refuge in the comfort of what is known and we fear the unknown far away from the safety of the harbour. Jesus demands that we leave behind our comfort and go into the world. Then, “let down your nets for a catch”. That’s is: proclaim the Good News and invite people to become disciples of Jesus Christ. It is interesting that, in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives the last commandment which is the same: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). We must go and let down the nets to make disciples. It is not an easy job. Simon and his companions had done just that. They had “worked hard all night long and caught nothing”. We find ourselves in the same situation. Despite our efforts, we work in vain and come empty-handed. Maybe we trust our capacity and our ingenuity. We forget that the mission is not ours but Jesus’ mission. Simon showed the correct attitude when he said: “But at your word I will let down the nets”. We need an attitude of faith and obedience. The rest belongs to Him and he will make sure that the catch is abundant. And so it was. Seeing that, Simon “fell at the knees of Jesus” in awe. He saw himself in the presence of the Lord and he realised how unworthy he was. Whenever we put ourselves before the Lord and allow His light to penetrate our hearts, we realise our sinfulness. On our own, we cannot carry out the mission entrusted to us. However, the Lord is with us and at his commandment, we may realise wonders. Even though we are unworthy, Jesus calls us and then purifies us from our sins and heals us from our incapacities, making us his co-workers in the work of salvation. Jesus reassures Simon and calls him to the mission: “Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.”

May our answer to the Lord be the same one of Isaiah: “Here I am, send me.”