Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2019
Today’s readings ask me to focus on what I think, say and do. The wisdom of Sirach reminds me to look deeper into myself and be honest about what is going on. I might look great on the outside, but under stress, do I really trust in God or is my piety only a veneer? Are my actions during difficult times a reflection of my trust in the presence of God within me? I might easily see hypocrisy in others when their words and actions are not congruous, but what about me in times of crisis?
In the Gospel, the Lord asks me to not be blind to my own faults and weaknesses when I am tempted to judge others. Do my words and actions outside a Church setting reflect the faith I professed there? I am not perfect and so I am not the norm that determines perfection in others.
The Lord is patient with me and shows me compassionate love to encourage me to keep working at my own conversion. The Lord believes that there is a storehouse of goodness in me and in each human heart. I am called to imitate that compassion of God in my relationship with others; to be compassionate as God is compassionate and so encourage people along the way.
Christ is the norm. Christ is the way. If I keep my eyes focused on him, I will discover enough to work on in my own life without needing to focus on the faith journey of other people. Open my eyes Lord!