20210910 BLIND LEADERS
10 September, 2021, Friday, 23rd Week, Ordinary Time
First reading |
1 Timothy 1:1-2,12-14 © |
I used to be a blasphemer, but the mercy of God was shown me
From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus appointed by the command of God our saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, true child of mine in the faith; wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Mercy, however, was shown me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 15(16):1-2,5,7-8,11 © |
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.’
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever.
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Gospel Acclamation | Ps147:12,15 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
He sends out his word to the earth.
Alleluia!
Or: | Jn17:17 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 6:39-42 © |
Can the blind lead the blind?
Jesus told a parable to the disciples: ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.’
BLIND LEADERS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ 1 Tim 1:1-2. 12-14; Ps 16:1-2,5,7-8,11; Lk 6:39-42 ]
In the gospel, Jesus warned His disciples about following leaders who were blind and ignorant. He told a parable, “Can one blind man guide another?” The answer to the rhetorical question is obvious. “Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher.” Indeed, the disciples of Jesus must be discerning of the leaders they follow. If leaders are blind to the truth and to the future because of their fear of change, of wanting to preserve the status quo by taking reference from the past only, then no progress can be made. Worse still, when leaders act out of their unhealed wounds, self-righteousness and fears, they will form disciples to be hostile, reactive and prejudiced. Fanaticism and fundamentalism in religions is always the consequence of leaders misleading their flock into thinking that they are the saviour of the world and everyone else who thinks differently is wrong and condemned to hell.
This is why leaders must always be watchful of their own pride, prejudices and ignorance when leading their people. They must never think they have the ultimate answers to all questions of life. Today, our people are well educated and they are very specialized in their fields of study. Leaders must be humble to consult, listen and dialogue in a rational and civil manner. Unless, we seek to understand issues from a larger perspective, we will not make the right judgment. This is what the Lord taught us with respect to judgment. “Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye’, when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite!” Indeed, before we can see clearly and lead our people, the Lord said, “Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.”
The case in point of today’s gospel can be applied to St Paul before his conversion. In his letter to Timothy, he said, “I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith.” Paul, who was then called Saul, was not just a persecutor of the Christians but sought to destroy the Christian community. He went all out to defend the Jewish Faith against the Christians whom he felt were betraying the Jewish Faith and misleading others. So zealous of Judaism was he, himself being a Jewish scholar and theologian, that he went all the way to Damascus to rein in the Christians and put them in prison.
But on hindsight, after his conversion experience, he regretted and admitted he was “acting in ignorance.” Indeed, ignorance is the cause of extremism in religions. Most of us act out of ignorance, convinced that we are doing the right thing and that it is in accordance with the will of God. This explains why Jesus could forgive His enemies. When on the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk 23:34) When our minds our closed and when we are prejudiced because of a hidden fear in our heart that others are right and that we are in the wrong, makes us not just defensive but also offensive. This is the cause of fundamentalism and extremism in society, whether with regard to politics or religion. And often this ignorance in society and in our communities is fuelled by political and religious leaders. Without understanding the religious beliefs of others, some religious leaders will attack the faith of others, distorting the truths of what other religions belief. Presenting half-truths is worse than lies. As the Lord said, with the blind leading the blind, both will fall into the ditch. What is even more insidious and tragic is that sometimes it is not just ignorance, but we can be like the religious leaders who chose not to see. They knew the truth but their ego and vindictiveness blinded them into doing evil. They sought to kill our Lord.
St Paul became a great apostle appointed by God, receiving the gospel directly from Christ. In His writing, he often would begin by saying, “From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus appointed by the command of God our saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope.” St Paul knew that he was not appointed by man but by God himself. Writing to the Galatians, he made it clear that he received the gospel directly from Christ. “The gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles.” (Gal 1:11-16)
So great is the grace and mercy of God that St Paul received that it gave him the impetus to proclaim Christ not just as the saviour of all but so that others too can receive the same grace and mercy from Him as well. We can imagine how Paul must have felt every time he remembered his past. He shared, “Mercy, however, was shown to me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus.” That God would count him worthy to reveal His love for Him and His plan for the salvation of humanity to someone who was the chief persecutor of the Christian Faith, was beyond his imagination. He felt completely unworthy, ashamed of his past and regretted what he had done.
However, it is said, a great sinner makes a great saint. Because of his previous sins, the many crimes he committed against Christ and God’s people, he repented. He was truly sorry. No longer was he judgmental. No longer was he overly sticky about the observance of the laws. Based on his experience, he knew that salvation is purely by faith in Christ who is the hope of everyone, for by believing in Him, they would have their sins forgiven and reconciled to God through His grace and mercy alone. No amount of good works or observance of the laws can gain our freedom and salvation except faith in Him alone. He knew that observance of the laws can lead to spiritual pride and self-righteousness. But knowing one’s sins keeps us always grateful to God for His forgiveness and mercy. Anything we do will be out of love and gratitude and no longer under compulsion. It is this gratitude for God’s grace and mercy that keeps us alive and inflamed with the same zeal of St Paul to spread the gospel of grace and mercy.
Finally, a great sinner makes a great apostle of Christ. This was true in the case of St Paul. God knew St Paul’s potential. His conviction, his zeal, his fidelity and loyalty when put to the right use can reap much fruit for the gospel. The Lord told Ananias when he expressed his apprehension of recruiting Saul for the faith, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” (Acts 9:13-16) Indeed, God chose us not just for ourselves but for the greater good of others and for the glory of His name. The Lord knew that he was persecuting the Christians out of ignorance, but once enlightened, he would use the same zeal for the spread of the gospel. The conversion of St Paul would be an inspiration for everyone who are sinners and ignorant like him. If Christ could change St Paul so radically from a persecutor to a great apostle, He too can change and transform our lives, if only we allow Him. Indeed, Paul is our model in leadership, one who has gone through hard times, making foolish mistakes because of ignorance, but once enlightened and forgiven, became a true leader for Christ and for His people. As leaders we must acknowledge our blindness and turn to Christ.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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