Dear Followers of Jesus,

Luke 6:39-45, today’s gospel, challenges us once again. We take on a greater responsibility in our own lives of faith listening to Jesus’ words. We recognize our own blindness. We know that we are not always faithful leaders; we know firsthand that our blindness gets in the way. The wooden beams in our eyes keep us from seeing the truth of life and the dignity of our sister or brother. We must see the splinters in other people’s eyes carefully. Other people can become a threat to us when we only see the things we disagree with.

Hypocrisy is never easy to deal with. Our own blindness keeps us from living a moral life. We tend to view others lives much more easily than our own. We are faced with much hypocrisy in our day and age.

This weekend is the last in Ordinary Time before the Lenten Season. This gospel becomes a good preparation for Ash Wednesday, March 6. Here is a litany from today’s gospel, Luke 6:39-45, that will help spiritually prepare for this season of repentance and enlightenment.

Response: Open my eyes, O Lord.

Open my eyes to your presence when I am blind…

Open my eyes to your love when I am lost in selfishness…

Open my eyes to your kindness when I put others down…

Open my eyes to your guidance when I am too self-reliant….

Open my eyes to your beauty when I am stuck in gloomy self -destruction…

 

Remove the beam in my eye when I am arrogant and aloof…

Remove the beam in my eye when I convey only gloom…

Remove the beam in my eye when I live for only my selfish needs…

Remove the beam in my eye when I am quick to judge and slow to change…

Remove the beam in my eye when I see only negative aspects of others…

 

Produce good fruit in me when I am a complete hypocrite…

Produce good fruit in me when I give up on self-care…

Produce good fruit in me when discouragement wilts my attitude…

Produce good fruit in me when my tongue is forked and insincere…

Produce good fruit in me when I cannot trust myself for good…

 

Allow light to heal my life when I sit in my own darkness…

Allow light to heal my life when I cast shadows of disgust toward others…

Allow light to heal my life when I allow hatred to fill my day…

Allow light to heal my life when I speak only fear…

Allow light to heal my life when I am afraid to grow and change…

 

Blessings to you,

Fr. Ron