Homily for Thursday of the 7th Week in Ordinary Time

We all experience moments of stumbling in life—physically and metaphorically. In the Gospel today, Jesus discusses stumbling blocks, expressing strong disapproval of those who hinder the faith of others and undermine their spiritual well-being. He warns against leading others away from God, emphasizing that part of our baptismal calling is to nurture each other's faith. Doing the opposite is a serious issue in Jesus' eyes.

Jesus then shifts the focus from how we can be a stumbling block to others in their relationship with God to how we can hinder our own spiritual journey. He points out that our hand, foot, or eye can become stumbling blocks to our relationship with the Lord. When Jesus says, "...if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out," He does not mean this literally. Instead, He uses a graphic image to underline the gravity of what he is saying. 

The positive message of the Gospel is that every aspect of our lives should be such that they strengthen our relationship with the Lord. We are called to offer our entire selves to God and align all facets of our lives with His will. While we may not consistently achieve this, it is a goal worth striving for. When we direct our whole being toward the Lord, we may experience the blessing of the Beatitude: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."