Beams and Motes

Gospel: Luke 6: 39-42

God has given each of us but one conscience to examine, and it is our own.  That we spend so much time examining that of others and so little on our own housekeeping says a great deal about how far we are from today's Gospel lesson.  Perhaps if we did spend the necessary time in the examination of our conscience we might become the disciples who is like unto the teacher.  That we are not so is an indictment upon us.

This problem plagues us as an institution as well as individually.  The Church may very well have some valid things to say in the public square about a great many issues, but they cannot be heard because we have not cleaned house within our own walls.  That sexual abuse, financial scandal, their attendant cover-ups, and the incessant desire to be among the wealthy and powerful abound within the Christian Church means the authentic voice of the Lord Jesus has become lost.

Today is a day for us to develop a plan of regular examination of our conscience and of regular attendance at the sacrament of penance. Other attendant practices may also be considered - journaling, spiritual direction, days of recollection, an annual retreat.  All of these practices help us to follow the counsel of the Lord in today's reading, helping us to remove the beams in our eye so that we might see with greater clarity the way to the kingdom of God.