Today’s Gospel leaves me feeling really challenged and judged. As followers of Christ we are called to be spiritual teachers and Jesus has some hard-hitting words to say.

Our world right now is full of false spiritual teachers who claim wisdom and healing through spiritual methods. Today Jesus is saying, be very careful to whom you trust the care of your soul. He does this by giving us a very outrageous example to think about. ‘Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?’

Imagine someone trying to perform the really tricky, dangerous, and intricate act of removing a splinter from someone’s eye. The person who is performing this act has an entire roofing rafter sticking out of their head. It’s crazy to even think about. How can that person even get close enough to see the splinter without causing more damage?

Here’s the point, unless we have first recognized ourselves as sinners and been saved by Christ then we’re not in a position to help. We run the risk of becoming as illogical as the person with the roofing rafter sticking out of their head. The one who will give the best spiritual advice is the one who has gone through those same sins and problems and repented and believed in the Good News of Jesus Christ.

So, before we presume to guide others, have we allowed Christ to heal and transform us first? Are we willing to remove our own ‘logs’ so we can see others with compassion and clarity?

By Fr Isaac Falzon