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 disciple 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 own 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 a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”
REFLECTION
I am sure that we all can say that at different stages of our lives we can definitely say we've been good, and some other times not so good, even bad.
Lent starts this Wednesday. Wow! I hear my kids talk to each other trying to get ideas about "what to give up" for Lent: chocolates, social media, etc. I've known people that give up chocolate truffles during Lent, and overindulge on Easter Sunday and the rest of the year. That makes me think, what is the purpose of "giving up" something, if after 40 days we go back to our old habits and even vices.
Figuring out what to do for Lent is very difficult for me. That was not something that was promoted in my family when I was growing up, so this always hits me like a deer in the headlights.
I like the fact that the Church provides us with great help on this regard. Many parishes hold Lenten missions, retreats, and such. We at PAPA also hold retreats both in Lent and Advent. And Father Michael, our spiritual advisor being Father Michael always comes up with shocking titles for our retreats: "Are you stupid?: The foolishness of the cross", "Crisis of the father in the family", etc.
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