The last part of the Sermon on the mount is the gospel of today’s Sunday. Through the sermon on the mount Jesus is presenting the Magna Carta of the kingdom of God. Through these instructions of Jesus just before the start of the lent season the church reminds us about the principles of Christian life.
One of the questions Jesus asks through the gospels is about the leadership. “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?” There is a small story. Once a blind man visited his friend. During night the blind friend said goodbye and departed. Then the friend gave him a candle and said to him to lighten it. Then the blind man replied saying:” why should I lighten the lamp. I am blind.” Then the friend said to him that he should lighten the lamp in order that others could see him travelling in the night thereby to avoid an accident.” The blind man started his journey. Unfortunately he met with an accident. The reason was that he did not notice that the light of his lamp was off. The story means that a leadership can become blind through various reasons. The leader should be the one who is able to lead. But very often every leadership is collective. Only when all the aspects function well the leadership will work out.
Another point of today’s gospel is the following words of Jesus: “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?” Jesus questions those people who dare to correct others without correcting big mistakes of themselves. The best way to change the world and to create a harmonious society is to examine one’s own conscience and to correct oneself. Self criticism is the best method to change and to renew the world. Christians are not supposed to seek the mistakes of others. They are called to lead a virtuous life.
Jesus emphasises again that the authenticity and the credibility of the individual is the primary source for good result. Jesus said: “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.” That means, if people are basically good the society will be blessed with good results.
Next Wednesday we enter into the lent season. The Ash Wednesday reminds us about the need of repentance and turning to God. A turning and a returning will help us for a new start beginning in our journey towards the kingdom of God.
Fr Joseph Pandiappallil MCBS