Homily, March 2, 2025
From The Pastor
It is difficult to interpret or comment on the obvious. To the attentive observer the obvious should be obvious. To the inattentive observer even the most obvious things can go unnoticed. What is it about human nature that causes this contradiction?
Often, those who depend on the temporal and material world (news, media, social opinion, cost of things, needs and wants, etc.) to interpret and assess the meaning and value of things will observe differently than those who desire to see and perceive from the heart. Spiritual sight and perception will interpret the ways of the temporal and material world differently. Spiritual sight grows from a heart of faith, worldly sight often does not.
Sirach was a spiritually committed person who sought the wisdom of God. He spent much time observing and pondering human behavior. His writings are the fruit of his observations. This obvious theme today is that of wisdom in the desire to know and act in the ways of God.
I have long remembered a priest who taught spirituality to young students at Creighton University. As he observed their behavior and the fruit of their written work he would teach them: junk in, junk out. What you feed your mind and heart is what will come out in your words, actions, and work. If you party and goof around with your time, this will become evident. If you read, reflect, pray, and live cleanly it will be seen in the fruit of your efforts.
Isn’t this exactly what Sirach is saying? ‘The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had.’ Jesus uses the same image in the gospel because it was widely relatable to his listeners. “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.” The sayings are obvious and should be taken to heart as Jesus is working to transform the inner understanding of his disciples.
Jesus minces no words in his pointed examples. Jesus is referring to the false face of hypocrisy evident is some of the religious leaders. He is teaching his followers to not follow their example. How can one offer to take a splinter out of another person’s eye when they do not realize they have a beam in their own eye? Hypocrite, take the obvious beam out of your own eye that you may remove a splinter from your neighbor’s eye. It takes some kind of intentional blindness to miss the beam in your own eye, to presume to take a splinter out of the other’s eyes. What is that? Ego, pride, arrogance, superiority, or just ignorance?
What is in the heart is revealed in the words and actions of a person. The words and actions of a person reveal the character of the inner self. It may be hidden for a time, but before long it will be revealed. Jesus challenges his disciples to have their inner self match their outer words and behavior. This is the ongoing work of conversion to see any conflict of what I hold in my heart and how I behave and relate to others.
This is the challenge and the call to know the self. Who am I? Am I self-aware enough to understand and control my inner life lest my words and behaviors betray me? “A good person out of the store of goodness in the heart produces goodness, but an evil person out of a store of evil will produce evil.” What is in the heart, the mouth speaks. We may resist the word evil, but to be honest, we all have thoughts, moods, emotions, and opinions that if said it will not reflect us well. Can I say, look in the mirror carefully before you judge the looks of another.
Truth in word and action create trust and stability that will lead to mature relationships that bear good fruit. Lies and critical judgement lead to uncertainty and confusion that cause instability in behavior and relationships. Disorder is born and the illusion of good fruit turns bad. The closing verse from last Sunday’s gospel come to mind again. “The measure with which you measure will in turn be measured out to you.”
I do not know if it was intentional or not, but these readings today seem like a good tee up as we begin Lent. This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. If you have not already done so, please pick up our flyer of offerings and opportunities for the season. Much is offered and I encourage you to participate in one or more of these blessings.
Today’s readings give us plenty to ponder and reflect on as we seek to free ourselves from those things that hinder us from receiving the love God is giving us in Christ. It is a season to love Jesus more through our love for others. What may be hindering the good fruit we hope to produce?
Father John Esper
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