It’s very easy to be judgmental, especially these days. Social media tends to encourage and reinforce that behavior. Before we know it, we’ve disparaged someone for what they said or did. Today’s Gospel is a warning to us. It has a lot to say about our eyes and our brother’s (or sister’s). But there is another pair of eyes to think about today: God’s eyes. Over the last few weeks, we have heard Jesus teaching His disciples how to see the world through God’s eyes. He told His disciples that God does not see poor people as unfortunate, but as the inheritors of the kingdom. Those who are hungry, grieving, or maligned will end up joyful. Notice that it offers an alternative. Refocus. When it comes to failings, look in the mirror, not out to the world. Especially as we enter Lent. We should practice examining our consciences. If we do so honestly, we can determine how to improve ourselves… and the way we see others. We should also note the way Jesus counsels us to handle faults in others. We’re not told to condemn our brother or accuse our sister. No, we’re called to kindly help them. Then both you and they will be better. This is because God foresees what we cannot. God calls us to love our enemies because God does not see enemies but fellow children of God. God sees us stumbling from the wooden beam in our eye and wants us to be healthy and whole. We need the grace of God to see our lives from God’s eyes.
Saint Paul too leaves the Corinthians a farewell message: “Be . . . fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). This ties in so well with Jesus’ call to His disciples, here and elsewhere, to bear good fruit. We are called to put our faith into action, to make the world better, to give a glimpse of the kingdom through our actions. The question we ask ourselves here is, are we known by the fruit we produce? What fruit have we produced or are we producing?
As we approach the penitential season of Lent, we hear a warning from Jesus about sin. Don’t focus on the sins of your brother, your sister, or your neighbor; look at your own sins. Every year, Lent gives us the opportunity to recognize our sinfulness and our need for God’s forgiveness, which Jesus offers us most dramatically on the cross. As we gather for Mass this weekend on the eve of Lent, let us commit ourselves to recognizing our own faults and failures, repenting for our sins, and resolving to follow the Lord more faithfully.