Walking with Jesus: Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time C

For Sunday, March 2, 2025

Sirach 27:4-7, 1 Corinthians 15:54-58, Luke 6:39-45


When I look in the mirror, what do I see? Do I see a person I like? Do I see a person I am uncomfortable with? Do I wonder about what I see? Do I feel that I am in need of changing? Do I need a Lenten purging of the me I don’t like? I need to ask why and how I got off track from the person I need to be — that God created me to be.

There are good, reflective questions that we need to unpack, and our readings help us do this.

The passage from Sirach uses three analogies from the arts and primitive technology. Throughout the ages humanity applies its conceptual knowledge to achieve practical goals that are needed to enhance life and living — the advancement of skills that make “life is worth living” (the title of Bishop Fulton Sheen’s TV program from long ago). The first analogy is a sieve, which is like a colander. It sorts out larger, dead husks or grains to uncover the soft, living grain used to make bread. The little grains are “the good.” Sirach’s wisdom is to listen to our own speech: It reveals not only the soul within us but also the condition of the soul. The more I say something, the more I believe it — the more I praise something, the more I love it — the more I disapprove of something, the more I condition myself to hate it. I develop these habits that become too much a part of me before I can stop being the person I don’t want to be. For example, the more I talk about myself, I become more selfish — not less. The wisdom of Sirach looks at “fruit” — how the loving care of a tree produces good fruit, but on the other hand, if the tree is neglected, it yields little fruit. Jesus uses the same analogy: “By their fruits you will know them.” [Matthew 7:16] Sirach makes an honest assessment that you cannot see people’s souls, but you can hear their words. Ugly, hateful, wicked and shallow words reveal ugly, hateful and wicked souls that are ready to show anger, take revenge and be hurtful to the people God is loving as I am hurting them. This wisdom of Sirach can open up a lot of Lenten reflections today.

Paul is concluding his wonderful analysis of the Resurrection. Christ has risen, showing His victory over death. Paul is taunting those who believe there is no life after death. A common belief among the people is that the earthly body is susceptible to day and death — but because of Jesus’ Resurrection, our bodies put on incorruptibility and immortality; we will live with God forever. This is a promise from Jesus Himself. He returned from death, an undeniable facet of the human condition, and in doing so took away our sin. We are sinless because Jesus took away our sins so we have nothing to fear — not even death. In fact, death can now be the door to heaven because of what Jesus did. “Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” [1 Corinthians 15:54-55] God is love. God loves each of us all the time. God sent Jesus to tell us of His love, along with the Son’s and the Holy Spirit’s. So if I’m devoted to Jesus and love, if I have faith, if I believe and live love, then love is my reward in heaven with God, who is love Himself.

Jesus said, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? … A good tree does not bear rotten fruit. ... We are to remove the wooden beam from our eyes first. ... Pride leads us down the wrong path.” To keep me on the right footing, my dad would often say: “You will meet people who say to you, ‘I used to be proud — now I don’t have any faults.’” Jesus cautions us about taking a stance of moral superiority — “Look at me!” — and I must constantly examine my own behavior. I’m not God’s gift to creation; God has gifted me to let all know that God loves everyone all the time. Can people see this in my interactions each day? Is my love always seen — is God’s love visible? Is my smile real — is my laugh life-giving — is my gratitude to God my constant way of acting? Do I pause frequently to listen and thank God? If not, I've missed God passing by in the middle of the night.  

So I reflect on:

• Do I frequently tell others what is wrong with what they are doing?
• Am I ever positive in helping people see their gifts and realize how needed their love is for others?
• Jesus said the “harvest will be great.” The harvest imagery is used to represent the opportunity to share the Gospel and bring people to faith in Jesus. He chose you and me to help! Am I? Are we?

Sacred Space 2025 states:

“As a Christian, to pray means to try to pray. We are limited in our understanding and following of Jesus. So we can never judge others when we are so blind about ourselves. To strive to correct our own faults is a great enough task of a lifetime. ‘Lord, help us to see correctly and then we can be a light for others.’

“Love is shown in deeds rather than in words. Let our good deeds speak for themselves.”