For me, it is incredibly easy to spot someone else’s faults. Whether at work, with my family, or a friend, when I see it, almost instantly, my inner critic can go to work. Both spotting the problem and identifying the solution. This ability to “spot the speck” is almost a genetic trait in my family. 

But within St. Luke 6:39-42, Jesus stops us in our tracks with this vivid example: “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?”

In this passage, Jesus teaches us about spiritual sight, the trap of hypocrisy, and the ultimate goal of discipleship: “When fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. (Jesus)”

This brings us to a profound, sobering reality: We are not called to be just a little bit better than the people around us. We are called to be like Christ.

The Danger of Grading on a Curve

Human nature loves to grade on a curve. When we measure our spiritual progress by looking at others, we easily fall into pride. We think, “Sure, I _________ sometimes, but at least I’m not as bad as that guy/girl.”

Saint Thomas Aquinas teaches us that the virtue of humility is fundamentally about living in the truth. The truth is that Jesus Christ—the Word made flesh—is the only objective standard for humanity. The Second Vatican Council called this the “Universal Call to Holiness.” You are not called or created to be a slightly better version of yourself; you are called to heroic virtue. You are called to be transformed and to love as Jesus loves.

When we measure ourselves against Jesus, the illusion of our own perfection shatters. We realize that the “splinter” in our neighbor’s eye is nothing compared to the massive “plank” in our own lives. A wound Jesus wants to heal as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). 

Self-Awareness Must Lead to Action:

Recognizing the plank in your own eye is the first step, but Jesus doesn’t want us to stop at mere self-awareness. Guilt without action just leads to spiritual paralysis. Self-awareness must lead to conversion (what the Church calls metanoia—a turning of the heart).

In Catholic tradition, this active self-awareness is practiced daily through the Examination of Conscience (or the Ignatian Examen). It is the deliberate practice of looking at our day, acknowledging our failures, not to condemn ourselves, but to invite God’s grace in to fix them. 

We cannot remove the plank by our own sheer willpower; we need the grace offered in the Sacraments, particularly the Sacrament of Reconciliation. By taking our planks to the Great Physician, we allow Him to heal us and clear our vision. To see a thing as He sees it!

From Clear Vision to Extending Grace:

Why does Jesus want us to remove the plank? Notice that He doesn’t say, “Remove the plank, and then leave your brother alone.” He says, “First remove the wooden beam from your own eye; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”

Once we realize how desperately we need God’s mercy for our own massive flaws, our entire posture toward others shifts. We no longer view the “splintered” person with judgment or spiritual superiority. We view them with deep empathy. We recognize the Imago Dei—the image of God—within them. 

True Catholic charity means desiring the absolute best for the other person, gently helping them heal because we know exactly what it feels like to be broken and forgiven.

The Ultimate Question: Today, how can you be more like Jesus?

To be like the Teacher, we must take His lessons out of the abstract and into the practical. Here are three ways to put Luke 6 into action today:

1. Catch Your Comparisons: Make a conscious decision today to stop measuring your holiness against the flaws of your family, friends, co-workers, or those you encounter on social media. Whenever you feel the urge to judge a “splinter,” immediately pivot and ask God, “Lord, where am I falling short of Your love right now?” (Remember the Ignatian Examen)

2. Examine Your Conscience: Take five minutes in silence tonight and every evening before bed. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the “plank” in your life. Is it a grudge you refuse to let go of? A habit of complaining? Name it, repent, and make a firm resolution to bring it to Confession. As Padre Pio encouraged his disciples, 30 minutes of reflective scripture reading in the morning and 30 minutes of reflection in the evening using the Examen. This discipline with revloutionize your life. 

3. Extend Radical Grace: Find one person today who usually frustrates you. Instead of reacting with annoyance, respond with the mercy Christ shows you. Pray a short blessing for them in your mind, offer a word of encouragement, or simply give them the benefit of the doubt.

Spiritual growth doesn’t happen by staring at the sins of the world. It happens by fixing our eyes on the Teacher, allowing His grace to heal our blindness, and then turning to our neighbors not as their judges, but as their humble guides – a true example of what it means to be a disciple of Christ.