Bible Study, Prayer, and Homily Resources
by Fr. Tommy Lane
Why do you notice the
splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden
beam in your own? (Luke 6:41)
The obvious conclusion from that statement of Jesus is that we all have faults and weaknesses. While we may see the faults and weaknesses in others, we will be judged over what we did about our own faults. We are to triumph over them. Jesus said,
Remove the wooden beam
from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the
splinter in your brother’s eye. (Luke 6:42)
We are to triumph over our faults and weaknesses because they may cause us to sin. If we were to use our faults as an excuse for falling into some sin, that would be laziness. We cannot use our faults and weaknesses to make excuses for not bothering to overcome sin. Obviously the first step in overcoming any fault or weakness is to admit the issue. Once we admit our fault or weakness, then hopefully we can make efforts to overcome it. Twelve-step programs are examples of efforts to overcome various issues, but they only work when the person admits the issue exists. If someone does not admit the issue is a problem, the problem will unfortunately persist.
Our faults and weaknesses should be a reason to be humble and even more so if people have great difficulty in overcoming some weakness. To people who have difficulty overcoming persistent faults, Padre Pio said, “Thank the Lord that he keeps you in humbleness.” and “There are certain faults that we will take to [the next life].” (Padre Pio: the True Story 3rd edition by Ruffin p338) His remark that there are certain faults that we will take to the next life explains why we need purgatory. Purgatory is where we become perfect in love and forgiveness because we cannot enter heaven if we are not perfect in love and forgiveness. Purgatory is a gift from God to us, a grace from God to us, to get ready for the perfection of heaven.
Our faults and weaknesses remind us that we need to depend on God. Our faults and weaknesses remind us that our salvation comes to us from Jesus. We cooperate with Jesus for our salvation but ultimately our salvation is from Jesus. Saint Paul refers to a thorn to keep him from being too elated because of the abundance of revelations he had received:
That I might not
become too elated,
because of the abundance of the revelations,
a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan,
to beat
me, to keep me from being too elated.
Three times I begged the
Lord about this that it might leave me,
but he said to me, “My
grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Cor 12:7-9)
Paul had personal experience that our faults and weaknesses remind us that we need to depend on God, that they remind us to be humble and even more so if we have great difficulty in overcoming them.
When we triumph over our faults to the best of our ability, then we are the tree that produces good fruit. Jesus said,
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. (Luke 6:43)
When we triumph over our faults, we are a tree produing good fruits.
What Jesus said in today’s Gospel about noticing the splinter in our brother’s eye and not the wooden beam in our own needs to be balanced against what Jesus said on another occasion:
If your brother sins
against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
(Matt 18:15)
Some people take correction and advice well and relatively easily while others find correction difficult and may even lash out at the person giving the correction pointing their faults and weaknesses which is unfortunate. Where correction is needed, Jesus would want you to give it in a spirit of love because of your concern for the other person and for their good. If someone, for example a family member, lashes out at you pointing out your faults because you offer helpful advice, you can admit to having your faults but your love and concern for your family member made you want to offer some help and advice. Look at the number of times Jesus offered correction to all sorts of people.
While we may see the faults and weaknesses in others, we will be judged over what we did about our own faults. We are to triumph over our faults and weaknesses because they may lead us into sin, but they remind us to be humble and even more so if we have great difficulty in overcoming them. When we triumph over them to the best of our ability, then we are the tree that produces good fruit.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2025
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Eighth Sunday Year C
It is good to give thanks to the Lord 2022