[Jesus said:] "Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother: 'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,' while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye." 

In the early days of Nelson Mandela's South African presidency, there were many problems, so much so that at one time he collapsed because of the pressure and his exhaustion. But he saw an opportunity that suddenly presented itself from of all things a sports team, the national rugby team of South Africa, the Springboks. He devoted his energy to following the team, inspiring his people to follow them as well. By sheer determination, the team worked its way into the finals of the rugby World Cup which was being played in South Africa. Finally winning the game in overtime, the mood of South Africa suddenly changed. As everyone in South Africa watched a group of dedicated young men win a sports championship, the people of the country found themselves united. Their victory was much more than winning a game. It brought together into one, a group of people who had struggled for hundreds of years in apartheid. The people of South Africa found a cause; it turned out to be a symbol of the unity they later on achieved.        

One of the guides that Jesus used in his life as he taught his followers about the kingdom was the guide of seeing clearly. It had to do primarily with how he wanted people to treat others, how he wanted everyone to be united in one way or another. He knew that the block to love and unity was the way people went about judging others. He also knew that when people judged others, they often forgot about the fact that they themselves were guilty of the very thing that they were judging in others. And so he used his splinter/beam image to bring his point home.

Nelson Mandela knew that he had to have some guide as he went about the job of reuniting his country. The guide he chose was that of "creating unity." He wanted his people to "see clearly" when it came to each other--that everyone was created, and everyone had a right to what his country could provide. Once they clearly saw who and what they were, they would be united. He used everything in his power to bring it about, and a rugby team fit into his reasoning perfectly.

There is a tremendous lesson here. If we want to bring about some cause that has to do with human beings, we have to work toward some type of unity. And unity begins with the way that we see others. We must "see clearly" in Jesus' words, realizing that even though we may not like some people and some people may not like us, we must be objective in our approach to them. We must "see clearly" what they are all about so that they can "see clearly" what we are all about. Once such a respect is present among everyone, we will be united. We will win in an athletic contest, even if we lose the game. We will win in life, no matter what happens.  

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son was so wise in his approach to us. He understood our human natures, and so he gave us guidelines to help us bring about unity with one another. One of them is the thought that we must see everyone clearly. Give us this grace as we deal with others. Be with us, we pray. 

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©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America