Breaking the Word

"A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' but not do what I command? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed."  (Lk 6:43-49)

God called the Jews and Jesus called his disciples to produce good fruit. Every individual and the whole society are called to produce human beings. This is the true message about the trees and the fruit. Goodness of the tree or the rottenness of the tree is known from the fruit they produce. Any religion or any transformation that does not touch the heart to the individual is as good as saying that grapes are gathered from brambles.

Jesus is inviting the people for a change of heart that is a change of personality that is a change from within. Jesus does like the external changes which are cosmetics. Jesus looks for changes that are basic and fundamental. Jesus wants an attitudinal change that will affect the life and character and behaviour of the individual.

Jesus gives another stern warning and expressed this through another parable. Now he takes up the story about the foundation and the building. Listening to the true wisdom and not putting it into practice is like building without foundations. Jesus stories are so true to facts that it is applicable at anytime to anyone and anywhere. 

And he told them 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. (Lk 6:39-42)

Today Jesus speaks about blindness. There are people who are born blind or there are people who become blind or made blind. In these cases the blind people will not be able to give guide another blind. Because both do not have the sight and hence there will not be able to see the road to give direction to the other. Some blind people may be able to walk along the road because of practice but they can never give direction to the others because they will know the indications and land marks and the same way another blind will not be able to get the direction.

There are also people who are blind in situations or in artificial blindness. These people have their vision and sight and their eyes good for seeing however they are blond because they wooden spectacles. Wooden spectacles block their vision but they have their natural vision. These people cannot give direction to the others because they themselves are doing wrong. They are blind to their own mistakes.

People who are blind cannot guide others or give direction to others. Those who give guidance and direction and correction to the others without seeing their own mistakes are as good as blind people. Those who cannot guide themselves and correct themselves are also blind. They are the ones who have wooden spectacles.