8th Sunday of OT—Fr. Leo Schneider
Discernment is an important part of life. Both in daily living and in our spiritual seeking. Today’s readings provide great insights on how to discern well.
To judge well, we first need to perceive things without judgement and let things reveal themselves. The book of Sirach teaches this when it states: ”When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear; so do one’s faults when one speaks.’ One’s true motives reveal themselves when we listen from a still place within us. There we perceive a persons bent of mind. If there is good in the heart, good will be revealed.
Luke’s Gospel states, “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good.” Down to earth examples are added. “A Good tree can not produce bad fruit.” Common senses understands this. But in order to be accurate in our discernment of others we first need to discern ourselves. If we have a plank in our own eye who are we to point out the splinter in another.
Realizing that good discernment starts with ourselves, we strive to grow in holiness. Then our faults become obvious to us and helps us bring kindness and understanding to the faults of others. In the end, we are called to help each other over come our weaknesses. Discernment in love is the discernment we are called to develop in our lives.
May God grant us good discernment that we may be heirs of wisdom, peace and Love. Amen!