I remember the moments in my life when I was preoccupied with my own righteousness, as if I was the standard of goodness. I tended to notice quickly the wrongdoings of others and judged them as bad because they were not like me or they were doing something wrong. I forgot to see that I myself was also a sinner and was doing the same thing. I also realized that I also have the tendency to sin and that I am weaker than I can imagine.

Today’s Gospel reveals that every disciple has the potential to be like his master if he allows himself to be trained. The Lord is the Good Himself, and the source of all goodness. I should not repeat the same mistake of Adam and Eve, who wanted to define goodness on their own, which caused their separation from God. I must follow the Lord if I really want to become good and to know goodness. When I learned the cause of the fall of the human race, I used to blame Adam and Eve due to their bad decisions and wrongdoings. I used to blame them for why we were inheriting the Original Sin and its consequences. Later, I realized that if I were Adam, I would not have the guarantee that I would not do the same. The Lord is reminding me to always examine myself to see clearly the faults of others and help them. I cannot do this on my own because it is only by following and maintaining a constant relationship with God that a person can grow in self-awareness and thus help those who are suffering in their sins.

Be good and good works will flow naturally. A person cannot be good if he does not have a relationship with God.

By: Sem. Jose A. Cordova Jr.

Today’s Gospel

Lk 6:39-45

Jesus told his disciples a parable,
“Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher;
but when fully trained,
every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’
when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?
You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.

“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good,
but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”