Read 1 Timothy 1:15-17 and Luke 6:43-49
“The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)
In yesterday’s Gospel passage, Jesus asked: “Can a blind man lead a blind man?” At times, we correct others without first examining our hearts. We try to take out the specks we see in others without looking at the logs we have in our own eyes. The best form of correction is practicing what you preach. This way, your very life, (not your words) becomes a living correction for anyone who is erring.
In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus teaches us that our goodness (or badness) is a function of the content of our hearts. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit because the fruit is only a consequence of what the tree has inside. The question is: What do you have inside? If we truly examine ourselves, we would arrive at the ugly truth – that we are not as good as think we are – that we are not different from the rest of men – that if given the same opportunities and circumstances, we would even do worse.
St. Paul was one of the greatest preachers the world has ever had but he had to confess: “I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do… For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind...” (Romans 7:18-23). Even in today’s first reading, St. Paul declared himself the worst of sinners. This is a man who truly examined his conscience.
The first step is to examine your heart. The second step is to uproot the bad trees you find inside and replace them with good ones; to confront your inner demons and replace them with angels. To change your life, you must first change your inside. You cannot just wish sin away from your life, you must go for the roots – your thoughts. Avoid leaving your mind on auto-pilot. Fill it with treasures instead. Select good books to read. Create time for meditation each day.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, help me to grow in my spiritual life daily. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of Week 23 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1 Timothy 1:15-17 and Luke 6:43-49).