Father Rick’s Three Minute Homily for Sunday – 02-27-2022

8 th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2022  
Luke 6: 39-45 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022722.cfm  
YOU CAN’T FAKE GOODNESS. 
Every once in a while, I have the fortune to see goodness in a person. For example,
during Catholic Schools Week a few weeks back, all the school children were outside
waving big red hearts on a stick while our priests rode by in a golf cart. They were
screaming and yelling, “I love you, Father Rick, Father Gordon, Father Henry,” jumping
up and down waving their hearts. It just brought tears to my eyes.
  
Then, a seven or eight-year-old ran up and handed me his heart on a stick. The look on
his face and the twinkle in his eye brought tears to my eyes. I could see the goodness in
this lad’s soul. He was so happy, and I got choked up just writing this little message to
you. 
This little boy teaches us that goodness isn’t in what we say or do, but Who is speaking
and doing good works in us. It is the spark that Ignites the Fire in us and our parish.
Jesus states the obvious that we know a tree by its fruit. It’s true not all the fruit we bear
to others benefits them. Whether something we say or do is intended, or we are just too
full of ourselves, take this gospel and reflection as an invitation to get it right with
Jesus.  
He will help us take the pluck out of our eye what makes excuses for our bad fruit. We
never have to be afraid when we get Jesus involved. He will make quick work of our
blindness to His goodness in ourselves and others. And the beautiful thing is that when
we see a speck in someone’s eye, our hearts will be filled with compassion. 
Like the eight-year-old boy, what we say and do will come from a genuine Goodness in
us and makes a world of difference for someone. I find Jesus does his best work with
planks in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. You will come out with His good heart. It’s a
beautiful thing to see. 
IGNITE THE FIRE  
Fr. Rick Pilger, IC  
www.bscchurch.com