Daily Readings Reflection for 9/11/09

Reflection on the Daily Readings for 9/11/09 by Fr. Bertrand Buby, SM

Today’s Readings


Scripture: Lectionary # 441. Friday of 23 week. I Timothy 1:1-2.12-14.
Psalm 16:1-2.5.7.8-11. Luke 6:39-42:

Psalm 16 describes the inheritance that God gives to the Levites. Their lot
in life is spiritual and they are detached from the ownership that the
other eleven tribes of Israel have in possession of a plot of land.  God is
the happiness of the Psalmist.  This Psalm is excellent for understanding
Jesus' words in the Gospel.  He is instructing his disciples through
colorful examples about leadership, discipleship, and community respect for
every brother and sister by not making false or rash judgments about them.
One must be absolutely clear and innocent in mind and heart before a
correction or judgment is made.  We are called to not box people into our
own moral categories and rules of righteousness which often spring from
self-righteousness.  Taking the beam out of our own eye is always a good
rule for us before making a judgment about others.

Jesus is to be the inheritance marked out by God for us. Jesus is our
teacher, we are his disciples.  So we pray with the psalmist, "You are my
inheritance, O Lord.(Psalm 16:5). You will show me (us) the path to life,
fulness of joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever
(Psalm 16:11)."

Paul has learned from the grace of his conversion that he needs to repent
of his former arrogance and for his persecution of the members of Christ's
Body, those who followed Jesus.  He then can and does assert that he is an
apostle to the Gentiles by command of the Lord and savior and Jesus Christ
our hope. (I Timothy 1:1-2).

Jesus teachings about discipleship in this pericope (selection of
scripture) are framed in three images:
first, leadership does not come from the blind leading the blind when it
comes to the spiritual teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; secondly,
the disciples are learners but eventually will become teachers if they are
faithful in grasping and living out the teachings of their master teacher.
And thirdly, fraternal and sisterly love are most important in the
community life of the disciples.  Judgments are to be avoided unless they
are carefully scrutinized in the light of the compassion and love of God.
One should be living out what needs to be advised for a sister or brother.
No beams allowed in our eyes if we are to remove the speck from the eyes of
another.  Amen.