FRIDAY OF THE TWENTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel Luke 6:39-42 - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“Remove the wooden beam from your eye first, then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother's eye.” (Lk 6:42)

Reading of the day

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians

1 COR 9:16-19, 22B-27

Brothers and sisters:

If I preach the Gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,

for an obligation has been imposed on me,

and woe to me if I do not preach it!

If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,

but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

What then is my recompense?

That, when I preach, I offer the Gospel free of charge

so as not to make full use of my right in the Gospel.

Although I am free in regard to all,

I have made myself a slave to all

so as to win over as many as possible.

I have become all things to all, to save at least some.

All this I do for the sake of the Gospel,

so that I too may have a share in it.

Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race,

but only one wins the prize?

Run so as to win.

Every athlete exercises discipline in every way.

They do it to win a perishable crown,

but we an imperishable one.

Thus I do not run aimlessly;

I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing.

No, I drive my body and train it,

for fear that, after having preached to others,

I myself should be disqualified.

Gospel of the day

From the Gospel according to Luke

Lk 6:39-42

Jesus told his disciples a parable:

"Can a blind person guide a blind person?

Will not both fall into a pit?

No disciple is superior to the teacher;

but when fully trained,

every disciple will be like his teacher.

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

but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?

How can you say to your brother,

'Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,'

when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?

You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;

then you will see clearly

to remove the splinter in your brother's eye."

FRIDAY OF THE TWENTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 6:39-42

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today's Word of God wants to tell everyone that God is the One who knows everything. Only He is the One who sets the law and judges people. Between people, no one has the right to judge others, because everyone is a sinner before God, no one is holy and pure before Him.

God always wants people to live pure, clean, and holy; but they cannot. He gives people the power to support and help each other. However, people today are greedy for fame and power and want to use power to dominate others. The desire to dominate others leads people to arrogance and pride, and from arrogance will lead to contempt and judgment of their brothers and sisters; while they themselves are also full of sin before God. But God is always patient and merciful to them. He desires and waits for them to repent, recognize their mistakes, and return to God.

In the Word of God in today's Gospel, Jesus warns everyone: whoever wants to remove the splinter in another person's eye, must first remove the wooden beam in his own eye.

You must change and convert your soul first so that you can see clearly in order to remove the splinter from the other person's eye and help them to convert, abandon sin, and begin living a fresh, pure, innocent life. But people today do not see their own sins to correct them, but instead condemn and judge their brothers and sisters; that is a serious sin before God, and He is not pleased with those who judge and criticize their brothers and sisters.

The Word of God today wants to tell everyone:

- To Live in humility and humble yourself before God.

- Do not judge or condemn your brothers and sisters.

- Do not forbid your brothers and sisters from living according to God's way of love; because those things do not come from God but from Satan.

God knows that people are facing difficulties, suffering, and challenges. He loves and does not abandon anyone. Therefore, He calls each person:

- Try to live a good life. Live in purity and clearly before God

- Strive to eliminate all bad thoughts, words, and actions; eliminate sin from our souls.

- Run to God and reconcile with Him so that He can remove the "beams" and "garbage" from our souls. Living like that, we will live together in harmony, unity, and love; more than that, we will be reconciled and live in close union with God, we will have Him reign in our souls, and put on Jesus Christ as our new self.

Thanks be to God. Amen.