Remove the wooden beam from your eye first

13 SEPTEMBER (Lk 6,39-42)

Only God can judge because only he knows the heart of a man. However, his is not a judgment of condemnation, but of forgiveness and mercy, when the sinner returns to Him repented, in the conversion and the desire not to sin ever again.

In his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul warns us that when we judge our brothers, at the same time we accuse before God to be us also sinners. Since we are merciless towards our brothers, we ask God to be without mercy towards us. Every our judgment about our brothers becomes a judgment towards us. It is a judgment without mercy, without any pity, because we have been without pity and without mercy to those who have been the object of our death sentence.

Therefore, you are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true. Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God would lead you to repentance? By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, who will repay everyone according to his works: eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness. Yes, affliction and distress will come upon every human being who does evil, Jew first and then Greek. But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, Jew first and then Greek. There is no partiality with God. All who sin outside the law will also perish without reference to it, and all who sin under the law will be judged in accordance with For it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; rather, those who observe the law will be justified. For when the Gentiles who do not have the law by nature observe the prescriptions of the law, they are a law for themselves even though they do not have the law. They show that the demands of the law are written in their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even defend them on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge people’s hidden works through Christ Jesus. Now if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of God and know his will and are able to discern what is important since you are instructed from the law, and if you are confident that you are a guide for the blind and a light for those in darkness, that you are a trainer of the foolish and teacher of the simple, because in the law you have the formulation of knowledge and truth – then you who teach another, are you failing to teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples? You who boast of the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For, as it is written, “Because of you the name of God is reviled among the Gentiles” (Rm 2,1-24).

Today Jesus asks each of his disciples to commit all his time to remove the beam of sin, evil, imperfection that is in his eye. Never might he with the eyes obscured by his sins be able to see the speck that is in the eye of the other. But since to remove the beam it takes all of our lives, never will one have time to judge, condemn and accuse others. The search of the personal sanctification removes any possibility that one can fall into judgment, condemnation and vain words.

And he told them 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.

Today Jesus asks us this strong commitment. He wants us entirely occupied, at every moment thinking seriously about the personal spiritual condition. There is no room for anything else.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints always help us and support us.