I want to start today with a simple question: have you ever had something stuck in your eye? All of us have at some point. Maybe an eyelash, a speck of dust, or maybe even sand? It’s irritating. It’s annoying. No matter what you do, you just can’t focus on anything else. You blink, rub your eye, flush it out with water or contact solution, or maybe even ask someone for help to get it out.

Now, imagine someone with a giant plank of wood sticking out of their eye trying to help you remove a tiny speck from yours. Sounds ridiculous, right? That’s exactly the kind of exaggerated image Jesus gives us in today’s Gospel. And He does it to make a really important point: we are often way too quick to point out the faults of others while completely ignoring our own.

Seeing Clearly

Jesus is telling us something we don’t always want to hear: We all have blind spots. We all have weaknesses, sins, and struggles that we sometimes refuse to acknowledge. And yet, we’re really good at spotting those same struggles in other people.

Think about it – how often do we criticize someone for being impatient while we, at the same time, constantly get frustrated with people in our lives, most especially the people we love? Or how often do we judge someone for gossiping, but then turn around and start talking about other people ourselves? A lot of times, and I say this in the confessional often, the things that we judge in other people, those things that annoy us…usually they annoy us because we recognize that they’re things we struggle with as well and a part of ourselves that we don’t like. And so we call them out in others so that we can feel better about ourselves in some way.

Jesus isn’t saying that we should never correct others; He is not saying that we shouldn’t lovingly challenge others – we’re called to do that in the right context. But before we do, we need to take an honest look at ourselves. We need to make sure that we are seeing clearly before we try to guide someone else.

Good Trees, Good Fruit

Jesus also gives us another image: A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. In other words, what’s inside of us – our thoughts, our habits, our spiritual life – those things will naturally spill out into our words and actions. If our hearts are filled with anger, negativity, and selfishness, that’s what will come out, in the things we say and do. It’s a call to reflect on what is truly going on in our hearts. Having a sense of holy curiosity about why we do things or say things, asking the Lord why we struggle with something can be quite helpful in determining what the root causes of those things might be. Because, the fact of the matter is, how we treat others, the things we say to them, the actions we do for or against them reveal the interior disposition of our hearts. If we are filled with love, humility, and kindness, then our words and actions will reflect that. Likewise, if we’re not in the best place emotionally or spiritually, that’s going to come out in our interactions with others as well.

So, the real question today is this: What kind of fruit are we producing? When people interact with us, do they experience joy, patience, and encouragement? Or do they leave feeling drained, criticized, or ignored?

A Mission for Lent

We are just a few days away from the start of the Season of Lent. This is the perfect time to take Jesus’ words seriously. Lent is not just about giving up chocolate or coffee; it’s about letting God remove the “planks” from our eyes so that we can see clearly. It’s about God revealing to us what is going on in our hearts and how He wants to bring transformation.

So, here’s our mission: Sometime this week, before Ash Wednesday, take 10 minutes in prayer and ask God, “What’s in my heart that needs to change? What blind spots do I have? What kind of fruit am I producing?”

Then, choose one practical way to work on that area during Lent. Maybe you realize you’ve been quick to judge others, so you decide to practice patience and assume the best in people. Maybe you recognize that negativity has taken root in your heart, so you commit to speaking words of gratitude or appreciation each day. Whatever it is, make this Lent about real transformation.

Because in the end, Jesus doesn’t just want us to remove specks and planks – He wants us to see clearly. To see ourselves as we really are, to see others with mercy, and to see Him more clearly in our daily lives.

So, let’s get ready for Lent – not just by giving something up, but by letting Jesus change us from the inside out.

Readings for Mass: Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Painting: The Parable of the Mote and the Beam, Domenico Fetti. Metropolitan Museum of Art. Wikimedia Commons. Used under public domain.