Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025

 


Hanging over my desk in my office I have this wonderful framed image of a laughing Jesus. I often glance at it during the day, and it never fails to lift my spirits. 

This image captures how I imagine Jesus interacting with people – joyful, warm, and with a deep sense of humor. 

When I read today's Gospel, I can’t help but picture Jesus with that same wide, hearty laugh as he gently teases his disciples about the absurdity of a blind person leading another blind person or someone with a wooden beam in their eye trying to remove a tiny splinter from another’s.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks, "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?" 

And then he says something almost comical: "Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?" 

It’s a bit like Jesus is telling a funny story to make a serious point. I can see him smiling as he says it, maybe even getting a chuckle from his audience.

But humor aside, Jesus is calling us to a deep examination of our own hearts. 

How often do we focus on the faults of others while ignoring our own shortcomings? 

It’s human nature to do so, but Jesus challenges us to take a step back and reflect. Just like the engineer in the joke, we can all be blind to the needs and feelings of others, and see only our own perspective.

This week, we begin the season of Lent, a time set aside by the Church for precisely this kind of self-examination. 

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of our 40-day journey, where we are invited to remove the beams from our own eyes so that we can see more clearly and love more fully.

Lent is not about pointing fingers or highlighting the faults of others. 

It’s about looking within, acknowledging where we have fallen short, and turning back to God. 

And here's the beautiful thing: Jesus, the same Jesus I picture laughing with his disciples, is also gentle and merciful with us. He invites us not with condemnation but with love and encouragement.

This Lent, let's take time to reflect. 

Perhaps when we are tempted to criticize someone, we pause and ask, "What beam might I need to remove from my own eye first?" 

Let’s embrace practices that help us grow – prayer, fasting, and almsgiving – not as burdens but as opportunities to clear our vision and open our hearts.

Imagine Jesus laughing with you through the process, encouraging you every step of the way. 

He’s not expecting perfection but sincerity. He’s not demanding heroics but small daily acts of love and self-awareness.

So, as we prepare to enter Lent, let’s keep that joyful image of Jesus close to our hearts. 

May his laughter remind us not to take ourselves too seriously, even as we take our faith journey seriously. 

And may his love inspire us to remove whatever beams block our vision so that we can see each other – and ourselves – with greater clarity, compassion, and love. Amen.



Location: Morrisonville, NY, USA

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