Luke 6:39-45

Jesus told his disciples a parable, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciples will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye. A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of the store of evil produces evil; from from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Here we have some sayings of Jesus that have passed into the lexicon of the English language, many likely not even aware of their origin. Hence, “the blind leading the blind,” and “remove the beam from your own eye before you remove the splinter from another’s eye.” These are common sayings now, and it’s worth considering their meaning.

If you are to teach others, or guide others, or provide advice or insight to others, it is necessary that you are able to see where they are and where they need to go. But if you are lacking this insight, it’s best that you not be the one to offer guidance. That is why the best people to guide addicts out of their addiction are those who have suffered addiction themselves and were able to break their addiction. They know the difficulties of breaking an addiction, so they are the best to guide others with insight on how to break their own addiction.

Just so, a criminal who has reformed his life is the best one to guide and assist others to reform their lives from one dedicated to crime. This only makes sense. What do I know about addiction or a life of crime? Nothing! So, who am I to offer guidance or insight or assistance to those who are trying to break their addiction or reform their lives? Of course, I can assist those with the experience of addiction or criminal lives as best I can. Perhaps I can offer prayer, a listening ear, or even just my presence for those who are struggling. But I cannot replace those with first-hand experience of these particular struggles. I do have my own struggles, of course, so perhaps I can assist those who share the struggles I’ve endured – losing one’s parents at such a young age, growing up in the “American” version of poverty, keeping the faith in the face of relationship and health struggles. We have all experienced our own struggles. We should make ourselves available to those who have shared our struggles. Then the seeing will lead the blind.

The same is true of sin. If one has an addiction to pornography, or to alcohol, or a habit of lying or of gossiping – these are not the people to be judging the bad actions of others and condemning their sins. This is why hearing confessions can be such a burden to priests. Priests are aware, perhaps moreso than others, of their sins and faults, their own struggles with living a life that gives God glory. Hearing the sins of others and giving absolution must sometimes feel like they are removing splinters while holding on to beams. But they must remember, as we must, that they are instruments of the Lord’s mercy, and not instruments of their own mercy. Thanks be to God that He has given us the gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and priests to serve as the instruments of His mercy, even as they struggle, too, to live a life that gives God glory.

We must make use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Lent is approaching, and Lent is a good time to reflect on our struggle to live lives that give God glory. When we become aware of our own sins, then Confession is a good remedy for our failings. St. John Henry Newman said, “It were better for the sun and moon to drop from heaven, for the earth to fail, and for all the many millions who are upon it to die of starvation in extremist agony, so far as temporal affliction goes, than that one soul should commit one single venial sin.” That sounds extreme, but it reminds us of how horrible sin is. It is an offense against God, the Holy One who deserves our praise and adoration, as well as our obedience to His will. It is for us to continually commit ourselves to the effort to form our will according to His will. When we fail to do so and commit sin, we are essentially telling our Lord that He doesn’t matter, that He’s not important, that He doesn’t deserve anything from us, much less our obedience. It is also saying to God that we don’t matter, that the dignity He has given us, and that we continue to possess in spite of our sins, is of no significance, so that we are of no significance. Given that God created us out of love and in His image, that He gave us free will to love Him or reject Him, and that He desires nothing less than to share with us His divine nature, to reject Him is a catastrophe of such great magnitude that no other catastrophe can compare. Hence, Newman’s judgment on the horror of even one single venial sin.

Yet is was while we were sinners that He saved us. He continues to love us even when we sin and desires, like the father in the parable of the prodical son, our return to Him, where He will run to greet us and embrace us in His arms, not even allowing us to finish our confession before He forgives us and clothes us with His grace once more.

Do not deny yourself so great a love and experience of God’s mercy. Make it to Confession this Lent. Transform your lives with the help of His grace into one that gives Him glory. Then employ the experience of your struggles in the effort to bring others to His merciful arms.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.