A message from Deacon Mark

Log In The Eye

The “log in the eye”(Luke 6: 39-45) is one of Jesus’ most memorable images. Obviously ludicrous, so everyone gets it. Someone with a great lump of wood in their eye is in no position to be pointing out another’s speck. 

Along with Jesus’ other witty examples here: the blind leading the blind and students leading teachers, this gospel has been instructive for delegates at our Australian Plenary Council, at Pope Francis’ global Synod of Bishops and at our own Sale Diocesan Assembly last week.

On reflection we have realized that we can all be a little like scribes and Pharisees – striving to keep the letter, rather than spirit, of the law and to make sure others do as well. Living sinful spiritual pride, assuming they are better than those who think differently (or propose reforms to the church), is a log in their eye. So too might those with radical solutions to the church’s problems, who breezily dismiss the law and tradition, sure they are better than traditionalists.

We must never lose sight that we are all part of the one Body of Christ. Our diversity is what makes the Church work. We should strive to listen humbly and respectfully to sincerely held views, even when they are frustratingly different to our own. Praying for and recognizing the work of the Holy Spirit in our deliberations, we must be wary of potential logs of convenience and familiarity, bias, and prejudice.

The circumstances we find ourselves in as Church are so different to any that have gone before. We are in uncharted territory, called to courageous, prophetic action. Rather than simply pushing our views, we must strive to move beyond our logs of comfort, convenience, familiarity, bias, and prejudice, discovering common ground with the rest of the Body of Christ; discerning and responding to the questions, “What Would Jesus Do?”, “What Does God Want of Us in Australia at this time?”, what is God asking of our universal Church? How does God want me to engage young people in our parish?

Deacon Mark Kelly