Year A
1 Corinthians 9:16-19.22b-27
Psalm 84:3.4.5-6.12 (R. 2)
Luke 6:39-42
The Log in my eye
The image am using today has a very powerful meaning if we look at it closely. The man who is pointing the speck in his brother's eye has a huge log in his. But the interesting part is, the speck he sees in his brother's eye is from the same huge log in his. This brings to mind the fact that, we judge others base on the what we know about ourselves, and when we hate someone is because we see in the person something about ourselves that we do not like.
Today we are called to have a second look at ourselves and shun the "Holier than thou" attitudes and judgements. Hypocrisy at the highest degree is to see yourself more holy or righteous than the other person. Remember he who is without sin cast the first stone incident (cf. John 8:7), no one can say he is more pious than another or that he is without sin.
1 John 1:10
"If we say, 'We have never sinned,' we make him a liar, and his word has no place in us."
Paul tells us today that, he chastises or punish his own body and subdue it, so that he will qualify for the reward of heaven. The Greek word used for punish or chastise is "hupopiazo" which means "to strike under the eye". What Paul means therefore is that, he subdues his passions. Thus although he has become all things to all men to save them, he also act what he preaches about mortifying ones flesh as found in Romans 8:13.
Romans 8:13
"for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live."He knows he has a weakness that he must overcome, otherwise why will he hupopiazo his body. Do I know my self? What are my weakness that I must overcome through the warfare of mortification? In the book "The Spiritual Combat," the author Don Lorenzo Scupoli gave four weapons we can use to overcome our own weaknesses; the first one is distrust of one's self, the second is Confidence in God, the third is proper use of the faculties of body and mind, and the fourth is the duty of prayer. This has helped me a lot.
"To be aware of a single shortcoming within oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in someone else."
Dalai Lama
We see little, we know little, for our senses often deceive us. If you are not in someone's shoes how can you know the person and judge that you are perfect. Don't be blinded by hypocrisy and pride;
Distrust Yourself; Do not conclude falsely that you can be holy without any help, meditate upon your weakness and ask God for strength for without him we cannot be holy.
Trust in God; Know that to God nothing is impossible, and have confidence in him.
Use the faculties of your Body and Mind properly; Know how to use the Senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste and smelling)of your body and the powers of your soul (Memory, Understanding and Will) properly.
Duty of Prayer; Without prayer, you cannot be transformed and overcome your weaknesses.
Note that the Devil who had the power of making Jesus see a vision of all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor (cf. Matthew 4:8), can deceive us that we are more pious than others. Beware of the devil's tricks and careful about been deceived by the devil.
By Sylvester Amakye-Quayson
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