September 10, 2004 - Friday, 23rd Week in Ordinary Time

CLEAR EYES

Readings:
1 Cor 9:16-19, 22b-27; Ps 84:3, 4, 5 – 6, 12; Lk 6:39-42

Opening Prayer

Lord our God, you are just and holy,
and yet you are patient and tolerant with us.
We are but slow-learning students
of our one Teacher, Jesus Christ.
He saw people's faults,
but he had come not to condemn
but to forgive and save.
Give us clear eyes to look
into our own hearts and consciences,
but dim them with the shades of love
when we see the faults of those around us.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction:
       Paul says he has put his life in the service of the gospel and by doing so he has only done what he was supposed to do. He has given the gospel to people free of charge. It had come to him as a grace, and he gives it to others as a grace, a freely given gift.

First Reading: 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. 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!

Gospel Introduction:
       The gospel of today has everything to do with seeing: blind people cannot show the way to others, wounded eyes distort what they see in others and cannot see their own defects. We should have a bit of "sympathetic" blindness to the faults of others. And let us look first into our own hearts; this is perhaps the way to love others a bit more.

Gospel Reading: Lk 6:39-42

Jesus offered this example, "Can a blind person lead another blind person? Surely both will fall into a ditch. A disciple is not above the master; but when fully trained, he will be like the master. So why do you pay attention to the speck in your brother's eye while you have a log in your eye and are not conscious of it? How can you say to your neighbor: 'Friend, let me take this speck out of your eye,' when you can't remove the log in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the log from your own eye and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your neighbor's eye."

Commentary

TODAY'S reading is in direct continuity with yesterday's. We are still looking at that extraordinary teaching by Jesus. "Judge not!" is the same as "Love your enemies." In both cases it is the self-centered basis that is being removed. I read where a scholar translated this "Judge not" as "Try to be more lenient in your judgments!" This misses the point exactly. If you judge, even leniently, you are still on your throne of judgment-probably admiring yourself for your leniency! St. Paul wrote, "Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God" (Rom 14:10). That was calculated to dampen our enthusiasm for judging one another.

In Greek mythology, Narcissus was distinguished for his beauty. His mother was told that he would have a long life, provided he never looked upon his own features. However, he rejected the love of the nymph Echo and fell in love with his own reflection in the waters of a spring and pined away. In psychoanalysis the term "narcissism" means excessive self-esteem or self-involvement. Many things we call by nicer names could well be forms of narcissism (or at least they have to pass the test): judging others and finding them wanting, deploring the variety of opinions in circulation, trying to convert people to our view….

Intentions

- That Jesus may show the road to follow to the honest seekers of truth and goodness, that false leaders may not mislead them, we pray:

- That Jesus may show the road to follow to those who easily condemn and are reluctant to forgive and accept people, we pray:

- That Jesus may show us the road to follow, that we may learn to see the evil that is in us and no longer condemn others for the evils we too are inclined to commit, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
your Son Jesus Christ let his light shine
in our darkness;
he opened the eyes of the blind.
Give us your Son here in this eucharist,
that he may open our eyes
to your forgiving love and to your goodness
present in people around us.
Grant this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
you let all of us here share,
with our faults and irritating habits,
in the meal of brotherhood and unity
of Jesus Christ your Son.
Help us to accept one another also in everyday life
and to cover each other's shortcomings
with the mantle of love.
May we overcome evil with good
and bring your peace on this earth,
by the power of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

Eyes that do not look for the evil in others are like the eyes of God. He is not a policeman out to catch us when we do wrong. He forgives, he heals. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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