The teaching of Jesus — as sublime as it truly is — and its urgent need and demand — folly to human wisdom — are taken directly from life. What remarkable knowledge he has of the human heart! After proclaiming the paradoxical happiness of the disciples and teaching them to love even their enemies without measure or calculation, the Gospel turns to the responsible members of the community to speak to them ‘in parables’ of the daily conditions of a proper zeal, both communal and active.
The first reading for this Eighth Sunday is a short extract — four verses — of the Book attributed to the author ‘Ben Sirach the Wise.’ This collection of sayings was, until recently, known as ‘Eccclesiasticus,’ a name given to it by Christians since the time of Cyprian (bishop of Carthage, martyred in 258) because it was used to instruct catechumens. The four sentences read this Sunday concern speech, a common theme among the knowledgeable of all times and peoples: words or simply ‘language,’ can be the best or the worst of things. Ben Sirach knows this. He is acquainted with and denounces all the sins of speech: lies in gossip, thoughtless swearing, quarrels, and above all, hypocrisy. Nevertheless, he holds speech in high esteem. It has a power that cannot be resisted for very long, which will inevitably lead it back to its proper use. Sooner or later, people who attempt to use it to disguise and hide their thoughts will be caught in its snare. They will be unmasked by the very words that they had tried to hide behind. Thus, one has a sure means of coming to an accurate opinion of someone: ‘Praise no man before he speaks, for it is then that men are tested.’Then can one truly discern. Still, how does one sift through one’s words? Are they truth or lies? Wisdom or folly?
‘The kiln tests the work of the potter, the test of a man is in his conversation.’ To be sure, some pottery cracks, shatters, even melts in the kiln. It is in the oven that enamel reveals its true colours. Some pieces come out of the baking more beautiful than one could have imagined. In short, the potter only knows the quality of his work after it has passed through the fire. The same is true of a person’s words. It is prudent not to pass judgement on a subject — especially not to eulogise someone — before his test.
Anyone familiar with the Bible will not be surprised at the importance accorded to one’s words for their ability to reveal one’s true nature. We know, in fact, that in the Bible, speech and being go together. First of all, in God who speaks, as opposed to dumb idols (Isa 41:21; 45:20-25); who reveals himself through his Word., the first gift that he makes (Gen 1) of himself that is always effective. One knows his thought, will, and plans by listening to his Word. His silence is always disquieting, and symbolises punishment, insofar as it indicates estrangement. The definitive silence of God characterises hell (Ps 94:17).
Created in the image of God, humans are beings gifted with speech that despite the evil use they make of it, always retains the imprint of its divine origin. It cannot be mastered to the point that it will not ultimately reveal the truth, for better or worse. It will ultimately always want to sing praises to the one who gives the gift of speech: ‘bless the Lord and Father.’ —’Lord, it is good to give thanks to you …. To sing praise to your name most high.’ And be faithful to his Word.
Last Sunday’s Gospel ended with the exhortation to show mercy, not to judge and condemn but to pardon, to give generously. All things that using the gift of speech in the right way can achieve. Our next section of Luke, however, begins with a completely different issue, and it pertains to sight. It is a question now of those who ‘guide’ the others. Luke alone calls those who are responsible for the community ‘Guides.’ Those with such responsibility must be clear sighted: ‘Can a blind man act as a guide to a blind man? Will they not both fall into a ditch?’ The disciple must not try to be greater than the master but attempt to imitate ‘the one who is well formed.’ This applies to all, and thus to the ‘guides,’ for their Master is Jesus, who welcomed sinners, granting them pardon because he was truly merciful, like the Father.
‘Why do you observe the speck in your brother’s eye and never notice the log in your own?’ This exhortation of course deals with relations among members of the community. Its meaning is clear: ‘Do not judge.’ To see the speck in another eye while ignoring the log in one’s own is to behave as a ‘Hypocrite.’ The term is a harsh one seeing that Luke uses it for the crowds who cannot recognise the time of salvation, and to refer to those who try to stop Jesus healing the sick on the sabbath (Luke 12:56; 13:15) It thus indicates a radical misunderstanding of the truth. Here, Jesus is speaking to the disciples. But to focus on the speck in another’s eye without seeing the log in one’s own — is this not tantamount to revoking the Master’s teaching, to act in flagrant contradiction to the Gospel that says: ‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven?’ Is it not to reveal that despite appearances, one is a ‘rotten tree’? For ‘a good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.’
It is in deeds that one recognises the true disciple, and that one can judge him, ‘For people do not pick figs from thorn bushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles.’
‘Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.’
This stern warning should make a community inquire after the value of its practice.
So, we have looked at speech and sight; but the root, the source of all acts as well as words — as the Gospel tells us today — is the good or bad heart from which people draw good and evil. Therefore, it is with the heart that one must listen to the Word in order to produce good and plentiful fruit, it is in the heart that one must meditate on and treasure it. ‘He said to them in reply, ‘my Mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act upon it.’’ The readings today shed their light on what it is to be and act as a disciple of Jesus in the very depths of one’s soul and the community of believers. People without duplicity, who’s speech, which they have received from the God-Word, reveals the purity of their hearts, their intentions, their sentiments. One must be animated with the proper Zeal. Clear sighted, as opposed to the ‘Hypocrites,’one does not reprove others without first correcting him/herself.
Active, it is manifested in deeds that arise from the heart. They know that on the last day, when death will be swallowed up, the fruits of their labour will appear. Everything that is corruptible will be thrown off. They will retain only the pure gold of truth and charity. Then will they be able to join their voices to the hymn of the victory of life over death. And of course, all this applies to us also. It is towards the Lord that all the texts turn our eyes, our prayer and adoration, even when they shed light on the road travelled by the disciples. He alone can proclaim with assurance and authority the paradoxical happiness of his disciples who hear him. He alone can demand that they be disciples animated with a zeal that has no hint of false enthusiasm, and is both communal and active.
But, in all this, it is he himself who is revealed: the beloved Son, joy of the blessed, seated at the right hand of the Father; the just man persecuted, killed for sinners, forgiving his executioners on the cross; the Son of Man who gave all for humankind, even his own life. This is why the Church and every Christian community ourselves included give thanks to the Father most holy, God eternal and all-powerful, joining theirs and our voices to those of the angels and saints.
‘Open our hearts O Lord, to accept the words of your Son. Alleluia.’
See you in Lent!!!
