Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SCRIPTURE Readings

Reflection from The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer

by John Bartunek, LC (reprinted with permissions from the author)

171. SURVIVING LIFE’S STORM (LK 6:39-49)

 

“To build on the rock means to build on Christ and with Christ, who is the rock.”

- Pope Benedict XVI

Luke 6:39-49

He also told a parable to them, ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye, when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye. There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart. Why do you call me, Lord, Lord and not do what I say? Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them – I will show you what he is like. He is like the man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!’

CHRIST THE LORD By applying Jesus’ parable to himself, we can better understand the nature of his Kingdom. What kind of fruit has his tree produced? Saints. Those who have followed Christ and his teaching are the saints, the men and women who have given a moral compass to the world, who have filled the world with hope, light, and enthusiasm. And the culture that was nourished on the love and sacrifice of the saints has given the world much of what it treasures most: hospitals (even the initial idea of hospitals), public education, equal rights, freedom from slavery, universities, technological progress…. These and many other institutions and values have flourished only in the wake of the gospel. To judge our Lord by his fruits, we would have to conclude that his Lordship is incomparable. And if we come to that conclusion, we will want to do all we can to live under his Lordship ourselves and extend it to as many others as possible.

Some critics often point to the sins of Christians as a way to discredit Christianity. Some Christians have sinned and caused as much destruction in the world as some non-Christians, they claim, which shows that Christianity is a pleasant but unsubstantial myth, like every other religion. This argument is shockingly illogical (revealing that those who purport it are being irrational – some other motive really lies behind their vehement opposition to God). Jesus warned his followers that if they heard his teaching and didn’t put it into practice, their lives would collapse like a house built on sand collapses in a flood, damaging itself and ruining everyone in it. On the other hand, those disciples who hear and heed his teaching will stand solidly when the storm comes, providing shelter and stability. Discarding his doctrine because some hypocritical disciples proved that sand-grounded houses will indeed collapse in a flood is simply foolish and nonsensical. In the same way, accepting his doctrine because of the fruitfulness and happiness exemplified in the lives of thousands of saints is wise and commonsensical.

CHRIST THE TEACHER St Luke links four different lessons together in this brief speech. First, Jesus points out that disciples become like their teachers. Consequently, we need to choose our teachers well. (Of course, the obvious conclusion is to become a disciple of Christ – the greatest teacher of all). Second, he warns us about the inanity of useless criticism. We are all flawed and ignorant, so we have no prerogative to go around passing judgment on others for their flaws and ignorance. When we do, we make ourselves out to be fools. (Picture in your mind how foolish a man with a plank in his eye would look trying to remove a speck from his friend’s eye – that’s what we are like when we take on a “holier-than-thou” type of attitude, which we so easily tend to do.)

Third, we must be careful to be Christians who not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk. The world has plenty of preachers, but precious few saints. If we really want to bring others into the Kingdom, to lead others to Christ, words will not be enough; our lives have to bear the irresistible fruit of real virtue. Finally, Jesus points out that we give ourselves away by what we say. If we really want to know the state of our souls, all we have to do is pay attention to the words that come out of our mouths – especially when we are speaking spontaneously; what we say reveals what we care about. If we really want to improve the state of our souls, we should start by practicing self-control in our speech. In fact, merely starting to pay attention to the loose comments that stream out of our mouths will mark a big step in the right direction.

Any one of these lessons is enough to build a life around; unfortunately, few of us really bear down and study any of them well. We hear them, approve of them, and complain when the people around us don’t follow them, but is our effort to learn and implement them as concerted as our effort to learn the ins and outs of our favorite hobby? It’s so easy to look at other people and conclude that they are shamefully building on sand. But judging by these standards, wouldn’t they be tempted to say the same thing about us?

CHRIST THE FRIEND Try to imagine the tone of Christ’s voice as he spoke to the gathering on the plain. Was it like a professor expostulating in a classroom, enamored of his own voice? Was it brittle and fierce, like a harsh taskmaster? Or was it perhaps warm, eager, and exuberant? Most likely the latter – Jesus did not come to earth to flatter himself or to flex his divine muscles; he came to win our hearts back to God, and that’s still the one item on his to-do list.

Jesus: You need a solid foundation, a firm anchor, a dependable, unchanging reference point. You need a rock on which to build your life. I have given you your life, along with the desires for meaning, fruitfulness, and adventure that go with it. And I have come to be your rock. The world is full of shifting sands. Opinions change, friends are unfaithful, circumstances take you where you would never have chosen to go – but through it all, I never leave you. My words, my example, my presence, my Church…. You can count on them all. Listen to me, walk with me, confide in me, and follow me. How could I ever lead you astray, when I gave my life for you?

CHRIST IN MY LIFE The fruits you are looking for in my life are the fruits of virtue. It is the heart that interests you most: what I desire in my heart and what I seek with my actions based on those desires. You know that in the very core of my being I want your friendship to be my highest priority. I want to reflect your goodness, your saving goodness, in everything I think, say, and do…

I think it’s odd that you didn’t teach us about political and economic systems. That’s all we think about these days. But you brought us salvation and the secret to happiness, and you never talked about either one of them. Instead, you talked about how to love God and neighbor. That’s the rock-solid foundation of a meaningful life, and of any political or economic system. I believe in you, Jesus, and I trust in you…

Jesus, I need you so much. When I am honest with myself, I see that in my heart and in my words I am still very far from following your teaching. I criticize, I judge, I look down on others, I am closed to their points of view. You know this. You can change me. You already have. Stay with me, Jesus. Keep teaching me to do your will…

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in this passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. In what ways do Christ’s four lessons in this passage apply to us? Which lesson is particularly applicable to you?

3. When Jesus first began to preach in public, he drew huge crowds. Do his words still attract? Why or why not?

4. Everyone chooses to follow someone, some teacher, in life. Who are some of the most revered “teachers” according to popular culture? How can a person know if he has really chosen Christ to be his teacher?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1691-1698 on Life in Christ; 1701-1724 on human nature and our vocation to happiness; 2464-2503 on the proper use of words and communication