Readings:
Sirach 27:4-7
Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16
1 Corinthians 15:54-58
Luke 6:39-45
Today’s reading from Luke’s gospel is the latter part of the Sermon on the Plain (6:20-49). Jesus begins by pointing out the folly of judging someone else, since all are need of change and redemption. And it is necessary to first recognize this in oneself, “Why do you notice the splinter in your neighbor’s eye, but you do not perceive the wooden beam in your own” (Lk 6:41). So, we need to remove the beam from our own eye, out of a sense of integrity and also so we can more easily assist in removing a splinter out of the eye of another.
Some years ago, the provincial assembly and chapter of my SVD religious community identified the cause of anti-racism as the focal issue of the province’s peace and justice efforts for the next three years. However, then one of the members raised the question, “How can we address racism out there, without recognizing the racism within our own religious congregation?” So, the province initiated a project for gathering interview recordings of SVD around the States, who described how they experienced racism by other SVD. These testimonies were edited on a DVD, an accompanying reflection guide prepared, and SVD facilitators were orientated. For the community discussion at Divine Word Theologate, an SVD from another community facilitated our process of reflection. While this was a very sensitive and challenging exercise for members of the province, it was an important first step in naming and trying to remove the “beam” in our own eyes. Of course, this is a long-term and on-going challenge for the SVD and all of us, but only in this way can we accompany others in removing the “splinter” from their eyes.
In the following verses from Luke, Jesus refers to the image of a tree to talk about bearing good fruit in our lives. “For every tree is known by its own fruit” (Lk 6:44). Two Sundays ago, the reading from Jeremiah described the one who hopes in the Lord as “a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots into the stream [and] … in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit” (Jer 17:8). In returning to Luke, the quality of a disciple is seen by one’s fruit. This is both by what is seen in action but also by what come out of the goodness of one’s heart (Lk 6:45). The “head”, “hands” and “heart” are interrelated.
The first reading from Sirach states that: “The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had” (27:6). That care includes naming and removing the “beams” from our own eyes, and continuing to stretch out our roots deeper and deeper into the life-giving waters of God’s life and grace. I remember being amazed when I observed how the roots of a tree on the top of a small ridge meandered over rocks to reach the stream down below. We have the same challenge of extending our roots through and over the hard places of our lives and contexts. Today’s second reading from First Corinthians encourages us to do so: “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, steadfast, always devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (15:58).
Roger Schroeder, SVD
Louis J. Luzbetak, SVD Professor of Mission and Culture