Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Or Optional Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary
Luke 6:39-42
Seeing Clearly with the Eyes of Christ

The words of Jesus in this passage may sound like a series of short sayings, but together they form a clear invitation: look first into your own heart before judging or guiding others.

Jesus says a blind man cannot lead another blind man. How often we try to direct others when our own vision is clouded! This is a call to humility. A disciple cannot go further than the teacher, and so we must choose our guides well—above all, to let Jesus Himself be our Teacher. Only if we follow Him can we help others to walk in the light.

Then comes that image so full of humour and truth: a man with a plank in his eye trying to remove a speck from his brother’s eye. We smile, but we also recognise ourselves. It is easy to see the faults of others, but so difficult to face our own weaknesses. The Gospel tells us: begin with yourself. Let yourself be healed. Allow the Lord to cleanse your sight. Only then will you see clearly enough to help your brother or sister.

This is not an invitation to close in on ourselves, but to grow in authenticity. If we are sincere about our own struggles, we can accompany others with mercy rather than judgment. We discover that everyone is walking a path, at their own pace, in their own way, toward the joy that God desires for them.

Let us ask the Lord today: give us eyes purified by Your mercy, so that we may see ourselves with truth and see others with compassion. Let us become humble guides, not blind ones—disciples who learn from the Master and then share His light.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025