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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" (Luke 6:39-42).
The new Optional Memorial of St. Gregory of Narek, which would be ordinarily celebrated today, is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.Sunday Mass Readings, Year C:
The First Reading is taken from the Book of Sirach 27:4-7. The author was a wise and pious Jew who lived about 200 B.C. His purpose in writing was to encourage his fellow Jews to live devout lives following the Law of Moses and the pious traditions handed down to them. He treats of the individual, of the family and of the community, of their relations with one another and with God. In these verses he emphasizes how a man's speech shows up his character and his religious outlook.The Second Reading is from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 15:54-58. St. Paul is speaking of the resurrection of the dead which the death and resurrection of Christ have won for us. In these verses St. Paul ends his discussion on death and resurrection with a hymn of triumph.The Gospel is taken from St. Luke (6:39-45). These statements of Christ spoken centuries ago to his fellow Jews of Palestine are as true and as crystal clear today as they were in the year 29 A.D. They are the words of him who was the Truth. They are put before us today for there are few amongst us who do not need to be reminded of their lesson. We are all so prone to see the neighbor's faults and shortcomings and so inclined to cover up or deny our own.While we ourselves are blind to, or wanting in, many necessary virtues, yet we can spot this lack in our brother Christian and have the audacity to offer to lead him on the right road. We are often lacking in the basic knowledge of the teachings of our faith and yet we can find a thousand faults in the official doctrine of the teaching Church. We can all criticize minor defects in our neighbor's Christian behavior whilst our own Christian way of living is giving far greater scandal.