Today, the Lord invites us to reflect on the way we look. He warns us, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?” (Luke 6:41). Isn’t it interesting that it is easier to pay more attention to the faults of others, no matter how insignificant they may be, than to focus on our own faults? Our own faults may be very big, but we often dismiss them as no big deal. At the same time, we are very good at finding reasons to blame others or to justify our faults.

The Lord teaches us to correct the way we look. He first tells us to look within ourselves, then to look at others but in a very special way.

The Lord first asks us to look inside ourselves to recognize our failings. The truth is that if we are not capable of seeing our own faults, then several things will happen. First, the door of mercy will be closed to us. The door of mercy opens up to us when we recognize our own mistakes and our own faults.

Second, if we are not capable of seeing our own faults, we will not be able to change. And the change we would like to see in society and the Church will not materialize. Every fruitful, positive change must begin with us. Without our personal change, we will be like blind people leading other blind people. Third, if we are not capable of seeing our own faults, we will be inclined to magnify the flaws of others.

The Lord teaches us also to correct the way we look at others but in a very special way. Only after having looked inside us and having recognized our own faults, can we help other people. The way the Lord teaches us to look at others is as he does look at us: with love. God does not look at evil first but at goodness.

God does not see irredeemable errors in us, but rather God sees children who make mistakes sometimes. This is the good news of the Gospel. This is why God always forgive us. The Lord invites us to look at others as God does. This is the challenge given to us when we experience his loving gaze at us. The Lord invites us not to look for evil in others, but for the good.

Let us humbly ask the Lord to grant us his grace to change the way we look.