Scripture:
Sirach 27:4-7
1 Corinthians 15:54-58
Luke 6:39-45
Reflection:
Has anyone ever told you the story about when an airplane is in trouble, each passenger is instructed to put on their own oxygen mask first before they help others put on their masks? When a friend or family member has told me this story, they were gently reminding me that I needed to take care of myself first, before I can care for someone else.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us two parables about our responsibility for caring for ourselves in our spiritual lives:
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. -Luke 6: 39-40
In the early 1980’s a close family member entered treatment for alcoholism after an intervention by members of our family. Thus began a 40 plus years journey in the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous for her, and Alanon for me. I learned about the disease of alcoholism and the disease of codependency. In both cases, we do not take care of ourselves. In codependence, we become outwardly focused, blind to our own needs for the sake of others, often with an air of superiority or feelings of martyrdom. We do not see clearly, and our relationships with God and others suffer. We can descend into manipulation, judgment, and despair.
And Jesus addresses this blindness in another parable in today’s Gospel:
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 6:41-42
How do we care for our spiritual lives? Lent begins this week, and once again we are called to the traditional practices of prayer, fasting, and giving alms. Each Lenten season is another opportunity to creatively use these three tools to heal our blind spots and see our lives as disciples of Jesus more clearly.
Patty Gillis is a retired Pastoral Minister. She serves on the Board of Directors at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit, Michigan. Patty is currently a member of the Laudato Si’ Vision Fulfillment Team and the Passionist Solidarity Network.