I must first preface what I'm about to write. Flatulence is not exactly the best topic to write about (although I am a nurse!). My daughters would be horrified (in a funny good way I hope!) this movie came to mind after reading today's Gospel (Luke 6:39-42)! It's all about blaming others for something you contributed to . . . or obviously did and completely denying it! The movie? RocketMan starring Harland Williams playing Fred Randall:
Fred Randall: It wasn't me!
William Overbeck: What do you mean "It wasn't you"? We're 35 million miles from the nearest person!
Fred Randall: Maybe it was Julie.
William Overbeck: Your dog!
Fred Randall: Hey! Miracles can happen.
William Overbeck: Blaming this on Julie!
Fred Randall: Okay. I admit. It was me.
William Overbeck: Thank you.
[Fred farts again]
Fred Randall: Now, THAT was Julie!
(Note: Jay asked me to clarify that I cut and pasted the above quote from the actual script! I did not insert my own words!)
Reading the lines from this scene in the movie brings back such good memories of the goofiness I share with my daughters. And they didn't hesitate to use the "It wasn't me!" line at every opportunity to place blame on one another! OK, enough of the nostalgia. The bottom line is to take responsibility for yourself and your actions before blaming others. It's exactly what Jesus is asking of us in the Gospel:
Jesus told his disciples a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”
In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she perfectly identifies the necessity to work on ourselves before pointing out the error of others:
"Any apostle could name another who behaves like a Pharisee but that will not be helpful, beyond advancing our understanding of the phenomenon. Jesus would be happier if every apostle scrutinized himself and worked with Him on eradicating any judgmental attitude in the apostle’s own soul. We see that the Pharisees were looking to condemn. Remember that this is the opposite of what Jesus did. Jesus looked to save. We must look for evidence of hope and potential in those around us. Some search constantly for evidence of unholiness in others. I think this might be their way of trying to fuel or protect their superiority or obtaining value for themselves in an unhealthy way. Superiority is something that requires constant feeding, like an addiction. Just as a cigarette smoker needs a nicotine fix periodically, a superiority addict needs to look down on someone periodically. Anyone will do. Those around this type of addict will suffer the most but if the superiority addict must go outside of his inner circle, he is happy to do that. Reading the daily newspaper can work for him in a pinch, but one addicted to superiority will eventually find himself searching for reasons to condemn even the holiest souls. This should make our skin crawl with revulsion. Really. It should. I suspect that what is happening is that it is easier to snatch affirmation in small unhealthy doses this way than to actually look within, meet the eyes of Christ and take whatever affirmation we merit in truth while accepting the growth challenges that Jesus puts before us. I often wonder if these people think they are going to get into heaven by citing the unholiness of others rather than standing on their own holiness. Do they think Jesus will ask them to regale Him with stories about the darkness of the times and the sins committed by those around them? Jesus Christ knows the sins of others and instantly factors in all mitigating and aggravating circumstances in each life. The life we will be accounting for is our own. Jesus knew the law but He was not rigid because He applied it with love and mercy. Remember that the characteristics of the Trinity include gentleness, kindness, generosity of heart, truthfulness, eagerness to serve, prudence, and humility."
Lay apostles, do you frequently blame others for something you've done and don't want to admit? What about little white lies because you don't want to offend or be embarrassed by your own actions? Well, it's time for all of us to work on getting that wooden beam out of our own eyes before pointing out the splinter in our brothers and sisters. It's time to say, "It WAS me!"
Thank you, Lord, for the ability to admit when I am wrong . . . instead of making excuses. And, thank you for the humor and humility needed to do it!
God bless,
Bonnie
Fred Randall: It wasn't me!
William Overbeck: What do you mean "It wasn't you"? We're 35 million miles from the nearest person!
Fred Randall: Maybe it was Julie.
William Overbeck: Your dog!
Fred Randall: Hey! Miracles can happen.
William Overbeck: Blaming this on Julie!
Fred Randall: Okay. I admit. It was me.
William Overbeck: Thank you.
[Fred farts again]
Fred Randall: Now, THAT was Julie!
(Note: Jay asked me to clarify that I cut and pasted the above quote from the actual script! I did not insert my own words!)
Reading the lines from this scene in the movie brings back such good memories of the goofiness I share with my daughters. And they didn't hesitate to use the "It wasn't me!" line at every opportunity to place blame on one another! OK, enough of the nostalgia. The bottom line is to take responsibility for yourself and your actions before blaming others. It's exactly what Jesus is asking of us in the Gospel:
Jesus told his disciples a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”
In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she perfectly identifies the necessity to work on ourselves before pointing out the error of others:
"Any apostle could name another who behaves like a Pharisee but that will not be helpful, beyond advancing our understanding of the phenomenon. Jesus would be happier if every apostle scrutinized himself and worked with Him on eradicating any judgmental attitude in the apostle’s own soul. We see that the Pharisees were looking to condemn. Remember that this is the opposite of what Jesus did. Jesus looked to save. We must look for evidence of hope and potential in those around us. Some search constantly for evidence of unholiness in others. I think this might be their way of trying to fuel or protect their superiority or obtaining value for themselves in an unhealthy way. Superiority is something that requires constant feeding, like an addiction. Just as a cigarette smoker needs a nicotine fix periodically, a superiority addict needs to look down on someone periodically. Anyone will do. Those around this type of addict will suffer the most but if the superiority addict must go outside of his inner circle, he is happy to do that. Reading the daily newspaper can work for him in a pinch, but one addicted to superiority will eventually find himself searching for reasons to condemn even the holiest souls. This should make our skin crawl with revulsion. Really. It should. I suspect that what is happening is that it is easier to snatch affirmation in small unhealthy doses this way than to actually look within, meet the eyes of Christ and take whatever affirmation we merit in truth while accepting the growth challenges that Jesus puts before us. I often wonder if these people think they are going to get into heaven by citing the unholiness of others rather than standing on their own holiness. Do they think Jesus will ask them to regale Him with stories about the darkness of the times and the sins committed by those around them? Jesus Christ knows the sins of others and instantly factors in all mitigating and aggravating circumstances in each life. The life we will be accounting for is our own. Jesus knew the law but He was not rigid because He applied it with love and mercy. Remember that the characteristics of the Trinity include gentleness, kindness, generosity of heart, truthfulness, eagerness to serve, prudence, and humility."
Lay apostles, do you frequently blame others for something you've done and don't want to admit? What about little white lies because you don't want to offend or be embarrassed by your own actions? Well, it's time for all of us to work on getting that wooden beam out of our own eyes before pointing out the splinter in our brothers and sisters. It's time to say, "It WAS me!"
Thank you, Lord, for the ability to admit when I am wrong . . . instead of making excuses. And, thank you for the humor and humility needed to do it!
God bless,
Bonnie
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