Gospel Reflection for March 3, 2019, 8th Sunday Ordinary Time

Scripture Readings: Sirach 24.4-7; 1 Corinthians 15.54-58; Luke 6.39-45

“A good person brings for goodness from the good in his or her heart. The mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart.” – Luke 6.45

Sunday’s gospel offers a collection of wise sayings. The blind can’t lead the blind. Students are not greater than their teachers. A tree is known by its fruit. Don’t try to take the splinter from your neighbor’s eye when you don’t see the plank in your own. The Greek word for plank refers to a board used for a rafter or a wall stud. The difference between a splinter and a plank is not only between tiny and immense but also between a single splinter and a fault that can threaten a whole building. From a practical point of view, criticizing others invites their scrutiny in return.

These sayings and many more that Luke includes in Jesus’ sermon on the plain provide concrete, everyday wisdom. Out cultural proverbs today tend to express values such as consumerism, individualism, or competition, for example, “Take care of yourself; no one else will.” They stand in tension with Christian values, such as sharing goods, solidarity among the members of the human family, and cooperation.

What proverbs do you try to live by? What proverbs did your parents or guardians quote often? What proverbs do you quote to your children, students, or co-workers?