Gospel for Sunday, February 27 Luke 6: 39-45
VIII Sunday C
39He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Won’t they both fall into a hole? 40The disciple is not superior to the master; but everyone who is well trained will be like his teacher. 41Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, and do not notice the plank that is in your own? 42How can you say to your brother: Let me remove the speck that is in your eye, and you do not see the plank that is in your own? Hypocrite, first remove the log from your own eye and then you will be able to see clearly in removing the speck from your brother’s eye. 43There is no good tree that bears bad fruit, nor bad tree that bears good fruit. 44In fact, each tree can be recognized by its fruit: figs are not harvested from thorns, nor grapes are harvested from a bramble. 45The good man brings out good from the good treasure of his heart; the evil man brings out evil from his evil treasure, because the mouth speaks from the fullness of the heart”.
Luke 6: 39-45
Dear Sisters and Brothers of the Misericordie, I am Carlo Miglietta, doctor, biblical scholar, layman, husband, father and grandfather (www.buonabibbiaatutti.it).
Also today I share with you a short meditation thought on the Gospel, with special reference to the theme of mercy.
The Gospel passage of Luke 6.39-45 brings us some passages of the speech that Jesus pronounces on the plain after spending the night in prayer (Luke 6.12) and after calling the twelve to be his apostles (Luke 6.13 -14). Most of the phrases brought together in this discourse were pronounced on other occasions, but Luke, imitating Matthew, brings them together here in this Sermon on the Plain.
The text is divided into some similarities. The first invites us not to be “blind people leading the blind” (v. 39). Who are these blind people? Perhaps the Pharisees who claim to be teachers of their fellow countrymen despite their spiritual and mental dullness. Or the pastors of the Christian communities who lead the Churches and are full of sins. But in reality this saying is aimed at all Christians who pass sentences, who arbitrarily judge men or, even worse, their brothers. Fundamental blindness is not considering oneself in need of the Father’s mercy: John says: “If you were blind you would have no sin, but since you say: “We see”, your sin remains” (Jn 9:41). The blind are therefore those who “presume themselves to be righteous and despise others” (Lk 18:9). The true disciple is instead the one who knows how to see his own limit, his own sin, and with humility thanks the Lord for his forgiveness and his salvation. The disciple who has not experienced God’s mercy towards him acts without mercy and leads himself and those who come within the range of action of his wickedness to perdition.
The second parabolic saying reminds us that we cannot be blind guides, but neither can we be super masters (v. 40). The only Master is Jesus, who said: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Mt 11.29); “I have not come to condemn the world, but to save the world” (Jn 12:47). And if Jesus came to preach mercy and salvation for all, so too his disciples will only have to always announce the Joyful News of God’s tenderness for all, in every circumstance.
The third simile (vv. 41-42) is the exhortation to abstain from judgment against others. Jesus wants to crush any desire to place himself above his brothers, undermining harmony, cohesion and community peace. The evangelist gives Christians who behave in this way the name of “hypocrites”, which Jesus normally addresses to the scribes and Pharisees: the term designates someone who plays a part in the theater that does not correspond to his condition. Anyone who wants to set themselves up as a judge of others must begin to convert themselves. My eye must always be turned to the 10,000 talents forgiven to me, and not to the 100 denarii that the other owes me (Mt 18.23-35). The disciple is asked to remove his own beam that makes him blind, without ever believing himself to be just and not in need of mercy. And the other must be graced by me as I have been graced: my eye towards the other must be the same eye of benevolence that God has towards me. If I look at my debt I am no longer blind, but I see the mercy shown towards me; but, if I look at the evil of another, I judge, while Jesus said: “Do not judge, so as not to be judged; for with the judgment with which you judge you will be judged, and with the measure with which you mete you will be measured” (Mt 7,1-2). It is therefore worthwhile to always be abundant in mercy towards our brothers!
In the fourth simile (vv. 43-44). Luke continues in this indictment against the selfishness and arrogance of some, who allow themselves in communities to fuel divisions and misunderstandings. The discussion is illustrated by an example taken from the agricultural world: good trees only bear good fruit. The Christian, filled with God’s charity, must produce only fruits of goodness and mercy.
The conclusion of this pericope is that nothing but “good” should come out of our heart (v. 45). For the Jews, the heart is not the organ of feeling, but the organ of will: the believer is called to want only the good, therefore to “love well”, to love always and everyone. The text has a fundamental significance for orthopraxy: what matters is not the exterior, the labeling, but what one is or has inside. Being Christian is not judged by ceremonies or worship, but by the goodness of the soul, by the ability to love, which is the only thing that matters.
Happy Mercy to all!
Anyone who would like to read a more complete exegesis of the text, or some insights, please ask me at migliettacarlo@gmail.com.