Today’s Readings – September 12, 2025
(Friday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time)
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First Reading: 1 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-14
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. … I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength. By calling me into his service he has judged me trustworthy, though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him; but I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief; but the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. USCCB+2Dynamic Catholic+2 -
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 11
You are my inheritance, O LORD. Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.” … My birthright, my cup is the LORD; you, you alone, hold fast my lot secure. … You will show me the path of life, unbounded joys in your presence, at your right hand delight forever. USCCB+2Dynamic Catholic+2 -
Gospel: Luke 6:39-42
Jesus told his disciples a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? … Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? … Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to take out the splinter in your brother’s eye.” USCCB+2Dynamic Catholic+2
Reflection: Seeing Clearly Through Humility
I. Introduction
Today’s readings focus on a powerful theme: humility as the path to clarity. Paul’s testimony in the First Reading, the Psalm’s trust in God’s steady guidance, and Jesus’ teaching about perceiving the faults of others only after confronting our own—together invite us into a transformation of vision rooted in humility.
II. The Gospel Passage and Its Context
In Luke 6:39-42, Jesus uses vivid imagery: blind guiding blind, splinter vs. beam, hypocrisy. He warns that one cannot help another until one recognizes one’s own impediments. The “beam” (log)—our larger, often hidden faults—distort our vision. Before we aim to correct others (the “splinter”), we must first humbly examine and address our own shortcomings.
III. Broader Scriptural Resonance on Humility
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1 Timothy 1:12-14 shows Paul recognizing his past: a persecutor, arrogant, ignorant. Yet mercy came, and grace overflowed. His humility allows him to serve. USCCB+1
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Psalm 16 expresses trust in God’s guidance and security—not in self-confidence or self-righteousness. The psalmist acknowledges God’s presence as the source of true life and joy. USCCB+1
IV. Reflections
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Recognizing our “beam” is painful but necessary. Without humility, we remain blind to what disfigures our relationships and our spiritual life.
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Mercy precedes mission. Just as Paul received mercy, we too are called first to accept and internalize God’s forgiveness before we help others.
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True leadership and correction from a place of humility shine more clearly. When we speak of others’ faults from a place of self-awareness, our words carry integrity.
Quote for Emphasis:
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself—it is thinking of yourself less.” — C.S. Lewis
This reminds us that humility doesn’t mean diminishing our value but shifting our focus from self-exaltation to seeing clearly—both God and others.
Verse of the Day
“I formerly was a blasphemer and persecutor … but I received mercy … and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” — 1 Timothy 1:13-14
V. Practical Applications
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Before speaking of others’ shortcomings, pause in prayer and examine your own heart. Ask God to reveal your “beam.”
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Practice confession and repentance—recognizing and naming faults helps remove the large blocks that distort your vision.
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When giving advice or correction, do so gently, humbly, remembering your own need for mercy.
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Cultivate gratitude for God’s patience with you; let that shape how patient you are with others.
VI. Conclusion
Humility clears our sight. It allows us to see both God’s mercy and our own need. As Paul’s conversion shows, mercy transforms what was broken. As Jesus teaches, one must remove the log from one’s own eye first to truly help another. If we adopt humility in heart, we move from judgement to compassion, from blindness to clarity.
Prayer for the Reader
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your overflowing mercy that noticed us in our weakness instead of abandoning us. Grant us the grace to see our own faults—not to shame ourselves, but to be freed from what blinds us. Help us lead with humility, speak with love, and receive Your correction with open hearts. May our eyes be clear, our hearts teachable, and our lives a mirror of Your compassion. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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