Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
For the last two weeks, we have been hearing from Luke’s account of the Sermon on the Plain. As Luke reaches the end of the Sermon, he makes some concluding statements. I would like to reflect on just one of them. Luke says, “No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher” (Lk 6:40). Jesus is the teacher, and we are the disciples. Today, we are being invited to be like the teacher.
Today’s scripture readings point out to three areas where we might consider becoming like the Teacher.
Speech and Words
In today’s first reading taken from the book of Sirach, the author says: “When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear; so do one's faults when one speaks” (Sir 27:4). And again, “The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had; so too does one's speech disclose the bent of one's mind” (Sir 27:6).
In other words, words are not mere words. Our words are the indicators of our thoughts, our character, our inner self. As Jesus says in today’s gospel: “… from the fulness of the heart the mouth speaks” (Lk 6:45). How many times have I said, “I didn’t mean what I said.” But by then, it is too late. More importantly, though, that which “I did not mean to say” becomes an exposition of our inner selves.
And then, we look at our teacher. What were Jesus’ words like? What kind of message did he speak? Did his words ever contradict his conduct? What kind of God is revealed through his words?
This week let us evaluate our speech. Our speech – does it build up or tear down? Do they encourage or condemn? Do we gossip or are we honest? Does our language make us blush sometimes? But the more important question is, “What does our speech reveal about our thoughts, our character, our inner selves?”
Hypocrisy v/s Integrity
The one quality that Jesus warned his disciples against was hypocrisy. He is unambiguously clear when he says, “You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first…” (Lk 6:42). He warned them against hypocrisy because nothing destroys individual credibility, a family, or the Church or humanity itself more than hypocrisy. Instead, Jesus demanded integrity from his disciples.
To a certain extent all of us suffer from hypocrisy. There is something about human nature that we always want to change others before we change our own lives. There is something in us that makes us give advice that we may not ourselves follow. There is a part of us that likes to remove the speck from other’s eyes while we have a plank in our own.
Once again, Jesus’ words about removing the speck in someone’s eyes while having a plank is not merely about behavior but also the inner self. In reality, Jesus was calling for integrity and the need to develop a genuine Christian character. Without integrity, the gospel mission could not progress. On the contrary, hypocrisy hampers the work of the gospel. Today, the gospel is calling us to be trained by Jesus as genuine, sincere, and credible Christian disciples.
Bearing Good Fruit
In both the first reading and the gospel reading there is tremendous emphasis on bearing good fruit. As Jesus says, “People do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles” (Lk 6:44).
But the question of bearing good fruit is deeper than merely bearing fruit.To bear good fruit the entire tree must be healthy. This is what Jesus means when he says, “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good…” (Lk 6:45). In other words, good fruits are literally fruits which cannot be born without a good and healthy tree.
This brings the homily a full circle. For our speech to be good and to bear good fruit we must focus on our character, our thoughts, our integrity, the inner person. Our focus need not be on the fruit because a good life will naturally bear good fruit. If our life needs to bear the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control, then integrity, character, then the tree must be healthy. And for the tree to be healthy, for the inner person to be good, we must have integrity, honesty, and credibility. This we must learn from Jesus, our teacher.
As we receive Christ in the Eucharist today, let us ask him to transform us from within. Having been transformed, may we bear good fruit in words and deeds.
- Fr. Satish Joseph
Fr. Satish Joseph