From: Luke 6:39-42

Integrity

[39] He (Jesus) told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they
not both fall into a pit? [40] A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when
he is fully taught will be like his teacher. [41] Why do you see the speck that is in
your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your eye? [42] Or how can
you say to your brother, `Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’
when you yourself do not see the log that is in your eye? You hypocrite, first take
the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck
that is in your brother’s eye.”

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Commentary:

[None for Luke 6:39-42. Below is a commentary on a similar theme from Matthew
7:1-5:]

1. Jesus is condemning any rash judgments we make maliciously or carelessly
about our brothers’ behavior or feelings or motives. “Think badly and you will not
be far wrong” is completely at odds with Jesus’ teaching.

In speaking of Christian charity St. Paul lists its main features: “Love is patient
and kind [...]. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5, 7). Therefore, “Never think badly of anyone, not
even if the words or conduct of the person in question give you good grounds for
doing so” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 442).

“Let us be slow to judge.—Each one sees things from his own point of view, as
his mind, with all its limitations, tells him, and through eyes that are often dimmed
and clouded by passion” (”ibid”., 451).

1-2. As elsewhere, the verbs in the passive voice (”you will be judged”, “the mea-
sure you will be given”) have God as their subject, even though He is not explicitly
mentioned: “Do not judge others, that you be not judged by God”. Clearly the
judgment referred to here is always a condemnatory judgment; therefore, if we do
not want to be condemned by God, we should never condemn our neighbor. “God
measures out according as we measure out and forgives as we forgive, and comes
to our rescue with the same tenderness as He sees us having towards others”
(Fray Luis de Leon, “Exposicion Del Libro De Job”, chapter 29).

3-5. A person whose sight is distorted sees things as deformed, even though in
fact they are not deformed. St. Augustine gives this advice: “Try to acquire those
virtues which you think your brothers lack, and you will no longer see their defects,
because you will not have them yourselves” (”Enarrationes In Psalmos”, 30, 2, 7).
In this connection, the saying, “A thief thinks that everyone else is a thief” is in
line with this teaching of Jesus.

Besides: “To criticize, to destroy, is not difficult; any unskilled laborer knows how
to drive his pick into the noble and finely-hewn stone of a cathedral. To construct
that is what requires the skill of a master” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 456).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Mass Readings

First reading	1 Corinthians 9:16 - 27 ©
Not that I do boast of preaching the gospel, since it is a duty which has been laid on me; I should be punished if I did not preach it! If I had chosen this work myself, I might have been paid for it, but as I have not, it is a responsibility which has been put into my hands. Do you know what my reward is? It is this in my preaching, to be able to offer the Good News free, and not insist on the rights which the gospel gives me. So though I am not a slave of any man I have made myself the slave of everyone so as to win as many as I could. For the weak I made myself weak. I made myself all things to all men in order to save some at any cost; and I still do this, for the sake of the gospel, to have a share in its blessings. All the runners at the stadium are trying to win, but only one of them gets the prize. You must run in the same way, meaning to win. All the fighters at the games go into strict training; they do this just to win a wreath that will wither away, but we do it for a wreath that will never wither. That is how I run, intent on winning; that is how I fight, not beating the air. I treat my body hard and make it obey me, for, having been an announcer myself, I should not want to be disqualified.

First reading

Not that I do boast of preaching the gospel, since it is a duty which has been laid on me; I should be punished if I did not preach it! If I had chosen this work myself, I might have been paid for it, but as I have not, it is a responsibility which has been put into my hands. Do you know what my reward is? It is this in my preaching, to be able to offer the Good News free, and not insist on the rights which the gospel gives me.
So though I am not a slave of any man I have made myself the slave of everyone so as to win as many as I could. For the weak I made myself weak. I made myself all things to all men in order to save some at any cost; and I still do this, for the sake of the gospel, to have a share in its blessings.
All the runners at the stadium are trying to win, but only one of them gets the prize. You must run in the same way, meaning to win. All the fighters at the games go into strict training; they do this just to win a wreath that will wither away, but we do it for a wreath that will never wither. That is how I run, intent on winning; that is how I fight, not beating the air. I treat my body hard and make it obey me, for, having been an announcer myself, I should not want to be disqualified.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 83

Gospel	Luke 6:39 - 42 ©
Jesus 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.’

Gospel

Jesus 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.’