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Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful!
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   20050909

The Catholic Calendar for Friday, September 9, 2005
Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
St. Peter Claver

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-14
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 11
Luke 6:39-42

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye?"

The truth of what Jesus says in this gospel passage is an exceedingly hard one to come to terms with. In our very flawed, very human way, we are all too ready to look upon the failings of others than we are to look in the mirror and see our own.

One of the things Jesus tells us here is to purify ourselves, to see ourselves for what we really are. It is only in the gaze in the mirror that we become aware of "amazing grace." It is only by knowing ourselves thoroughly that we can begin to know and understand others.

One of the reasons we are so willing to accuse others is that we know so little about ourselves. More often than not what enrages or irritates us about another is our own flaw grown (seemingly large). Jesus offers the remedy for this--self-awareness. And it is in this self-awareness that empathy and sympathy for the sinner grows. It is in understanding our own sinfulness that we become aware of the splendor of the love of God. By looking in the mirror and seeing our sins, we learn the compassion of Jesus.

Leading others to God rarely starts with haranguing them about their sins and weaknesses. Although this is sometimes the ploy one must use on the most hardened cases. More often than not, we open the hardened heart of a sinner by sitting and listening without judging, without trying to fix all the problems we are hearing. In short, the solution begins with unconditional love. And this awareness of our own sinfulness teaches us compassion and unconditional love.

- JuandelaCruz

(http://floscarmeli.stblogs.org/)

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