2nd August Trinity, Plumb the Depths

Kenneth Dowdy

2nd August Trinity

Matthew 7, 1-29

 “Do not judge your fellow man, so that your judgment will not someday be visited upon yourself. For with the judgment that you pronounce you also speak your own judgment, and the measure by which you measure will be the measuring rod for your own self. Why do you look to the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not become aware of the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother: “Wait, I will pull the splinter out of your eye” - but mark it well, there is a log in your own eye. You hypocrite, first remove the log from your own eye, and then you may be able to see how to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

Do not give what is holy to dogs, nor throw pearls to the swine, for these will tread them underfoot, and then turn upon you and tear you also to pieces.

Ask from the heart and it will be given to your heart; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you; for he who asks in uprightness will receive; he who earnestly seeks will find; he who knocks, to him will be opened. Or are there among you those who when his son asks for bread would give him a stone; or when he asks for a fish would offer him a snake? If then you who in spite of wickedness know how to give good things to your children, how much more goodness will your Father in the heavens give to those who earnestly ask him for it.

All that you want that men should do for you, do first for them. This is the true content of the Law and the Prophets.

Walk through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the path is easy which leads to ruin [the abyss] and many are they who walk it. But narrow is the gate and difficult the path that leads to Life, and it is only the individual who finds it. 

2nd August Trinity

July 30, 2017

Matthew 7, 1-29

Our eyes were shaped and formed by the light, in order to see what the light reveals. Our souls have eyes, formed and shaped by our inner experiences and by the soul's attitudes. A critical attitude sees what is lacking, in oneself and in others. Harsh criticism perceives and measures how far we fall short. It is cutting. We need to keep quiet.

Our souls can also be filled with what is holy. In our enthusiasm, we can spill this holy substance in front of cynics, squander holy substance on those who have no capacity to receive it. We need to keep quiet.

Instead of criticizing or gushing, we can quietly center ourselves. We can plumb the depths of our own hearts. With compassion and without harshness, we can honestly recognize our lacks and faults. With an upright heart, we can ask the spiritual world for the strength of soul and nourishment of spirit to become the kind of soul that can help both ourselves and others. Through the Father, we can become conscious of our humanity; through Christ, we can experience the evolution of our humanity; through our human capacities, we can receive and grasp God's Spirit of Love and Light.