Saint Rita Catholic Church and School in Webster, NY - An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings

“A Good Person Out Of The Store Of Goodness In His Heart Produces Good”

Our readings this Sunday remind us that our speech and our actions are a reflection of the goodness in our heart. It is a reflection of our upbringing and of the care we have for others; it is a reflection of the image of God within us. Jesus teaches us in our Gospel that "Every tree is known by its own fruit."

In our first reading (Sirach 27:4-7), the author, a wise sage known as Yeshua ben Sira, reminds us that our faults appear when we speak. Our speech discloses the bent of our mind, especially in times of tribulation. Ben Sirach teaches us, “When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear; so do one’s faults when one speaks. As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace, so in tribulation is the test of the just.”

In our Epistle reading (1 Corinthians 15:54-58), St. Paul teaches us that the sting of death is sin, but through Christ Jesus, God gives us victory. We must remain firm and steadfast in our faith, fully devoted to the work of the Lord. It is in this victory that death is swallowed up. Paul writes this beautiful poem,

“Death is swallowed up in victory
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”

In our Gospel reading (Luke 6:39-45), we hear the conclusion of Jesus' Sermon on the Plain, which we’ve heard from for the past two weeks. Here, Jesus speaks about the blind leading the blind, not judging others and looking inward at our own failings rather than outward at the faults of others. Jesus said, “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?”

We who speak ill of others while ignoring our own faults reflect the sadness of our own hearts. As Jesus said in our Gospel, it is like the blind leading the blind. In the words of Father Eugene Lobo, S.J., "Instead of criticizing others, it would do a world of good if we cared for them."