Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C

Sirach 27:4-7

Ps. 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16

1 Corinthians 15:54-58

Luke 6:39-45

Today’s passage of the gospel is the last didactic section of the Sermon on the Plain that we began reading two weeks ago (the remaining part exhorts us to act on Jesus’ words, see Luke 6:46-49). The title “Sermon on the Plain” serves to relate and distinguish this sermon from the usually better known “Sermon on the Mountain” that is in Matthew 5-7. Both of them open with similar expressions, “Blessed are … ”, but while Matthew provides a total of eight beatitudes, Luke gives four beatitudes and four woes. This way, Luke introduces the sermon with the very well-known doctrine of the two paths or the two ways, a feature of wisdom literature (see Lady Wisdom versus Lady Folly in Proverbs; Psalm 1). 

In today’s passage, we can appreciate another characteristic of wisdom literature, which is to know the style of exposition by way of juxtaposition (also called parataxis). This is common in books such as Proverbs and Sirach. The juxtaposition of the different sections lets the imagination of the reader/hearer attempt to figure out what exactly the connections among the different parts of speech are. Thus, it allows for much richer consideration than does a speech that tries to spell out all the exact connections (especially by use of syntaxis).

The real challenge in life is to enter the right path. In today’s passage, Jesus clearly asserts the need to have some guidance to become a disciple (from the Latin discere: “to learn”) and be adequately educated. Discipleship presumes a period of training before becoming a teacher. As a matter of fact, to be a good teacher, we need first to be a good disciple (in the same way that to be good at giving orders demands that we first learn to obey). That is why Jesus warns us that, before attempting to become a guide, we need to see clearly, that is to say, to “remove the wooden beam” from our eye first.

We will be able to do it, that is to say to correct our defects and shortcomings, if we, first of all, are correctly educated and disciplined. Jesus makes us aware that we need to recognize whom we will trust as a guide. Echoing this phrase of the gospel, the great mystical doctor, St. John of the Cross, advises to “take care into whose hands they entrust themselves” (Living Flame of Life 3:30). Even though the ultimate guide is the Holy Spirit Himself (Who is the one guiding Jesus, see Luke 4:1,14,18),  Providence normally works through human agents. Hence, the Catechism of the Catholic Church lists a number of guides in numbers 2683-2690, beginning with the family. 

Ultimately, all guidance is done through human speech. Today’s first reading and gospel reading point this out on a repeated basis, especially the fact that speech allows us to know what is in the mind or heart of somebody, which will let us realize if that person is trustworthy. In addition, we must make use of our words in such a way that we help to build up our neighbor, as St. Paul says, “No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear” (Eph 4:29). We are called to assist each other in following the right path; therefore, it is vital that our words echo the Word of God.

We are about to begin the Lenten discipline. This is always a very good time for us to examine our lives and conduct in order to make sure that we enter the Easter season with our hearts fully renewed by God’s grace and with the determination to follow Jesus’ path. A couple of questions coming from today’s readings that may help our examination are the following: 1) Whom do I trust as my Master? 2) What use do I make of words to build others up?

Meanwhile, “ … let us pray to God, pray with great love and hope, that he may give us the heavenly grace of the Spirit. Let us pray that the Spirit may guide us and lead us, following God’s will in every way, and may remake us in stillness and in quiet. Thanks to his guidance and spiritual strengthening, may we be found worthy to attain the perfection and fullness of Christ. As St Paul says: that you may be filled to the complete fullness of Christ” (Office of Readings, Friday IV week Ordinary Time).