Strive to Live a Worthy Life

Preet Anupam Beck csc –

Readings: 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22b-27; Lk 6:39-42

Today’s readings encourage me to examine my life with a clear conscience. They motivate me to preach the gospel to myself and then to others, seeking not my own glory but the glory of God. In the first reading, Paul emphasizes self-control, purpose, and humility in our race toward heaven.

St. Paul compares himself to athletes who rigorously train and control their bodies for victory, as he too disciplined himself to overcome sinful desires. He did not seek personal glory but was focused on preaching the gospel and sharing Christ’s message. His life invites me to concentrate on my call to proclaim Jesus through the witness of my life.

As St. John Chrysostom says, “The more one loves, the more one is loved, and the more one is loved, the more one loves” (Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew). This reflects the essence of living out one’s faith, showing that true discipleship involves love and humility.

The gospel reading presents a clear message of Jesus: to remove the log from my own eye before removing the speck from my brother’s eye. As Luke was a physician by profession, he uses the metaphor of a speck, which causes pain and suffering, to symbolize sin. Often, I pass judgment on others and regard their actions as sinful without recognizing that I too need correction. The gospel reminds me to keep my heart pure, which will inspire me to think the best of others.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “To be a witness means to be a living example of the truth of the Gospel” (CCC 2471). This challenges me to do away with prejudices and wrong judgments, striving to live a life worthy of an authentic disciple of Jesus.