GROW AS A DISCIPLE
It can be uncomfortable to admit, but our speech habits can truly reveal our interior life. Too often, I’ve fallen prey to the temptation of gossip or other alluring but unbecoming forms of conversation. Perhaps we all have to some degree, which is why today’s words from Sirach capture our attention: “When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear; so do one’s faults when one speaks.” This theme of speech being connected to our hearts is woven throughout Scripture, and it both challenges and encourages us. Before God came to us in the flesh, he came to us as the Word.
Our words carry eternal weight; they have the power to bless or to curse. For this reason, the Scriptures today challenge us to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, in order to grow in virtue so that our speech may reflect his glory, and our words echo his truth.
GO EVANGELIZE
In today’s parable from Luke’s Gospel, Jesus asks, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?” Ouch. Am I the only one who shifts uncomfortably when reading this? How often and how easily do we fixate on the way others have caused us frustration, discomfort, or hurt? While those things may (or may not) be true, it feels so easy to dismiss personal responsibility. In this passage, Jesus lovingly teaches us that when we live this way, we remain stuck in our patterns of sin. But he also gives us another option:
“Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly.” It is through this honest examination of conscience and cleansing of our own sin that we come to know God more fully, and as our vision is cleared, become more aware of how his beauty and mercy surround us.
REFLECT
Today, let us pray for a deeper personal conversion through an honest examination of conscience, so that as we empty ourselves from our sinful ways, we may become more tethered to God’s holy will, speaking his truth and living in his light. Commit to praying an Act of Contrition each day this week and ask the Holy Spirit to help you grow in virtue.