01/03/2025
WHAT IS YOUR CHARACTER?
SUNDAY REFLECTIONS
8th Sunday in Ordinary Time of the Year (Cycle C)
2nd March, 2025
By Fr. Emeka Okite
1 – When we speak of character, we do not usually mean specific actions of a person at particular moments. Rather we think of their life in general. By character we mean the totality of what a person is. It is that which lies behind a person’s actions and behaviours, guaranteeing them consistency and coherence, and forms the basis of a person’s convictions. We may infer a person’s character from their behaviours, but the two are not exactly the same, because people often pretend in public, hiding their true character. The liturgy of this Sunday tells us a few things about character, its formation and its proper discernment.
2 – The 1stR (Sirach 27:4-7) is part of a broader literary unit, which runs from 26:28 - 27:29, and deals with good and bad character as they reflect in human behaviour. Our passage uses three comparative statements (vv.4-6) as a support for its conclusion in v.7. The comparisons are drawn from three processes through which the quality of a produce is guaranteed: the sieve separates chaff from the grains, the potter’s vessels are strengthened and tested in the furnace, and the quality of a tree’s fruits is maintained through constant pruning.
3 – Ben Sira likens these processes to human character. Character needs to be formed and cultivated (like the pruning of a tree), tested and strengthened through discipline (like the vessel in a potter’s furnace) and ultimately discerned (like the sieving of grain from chaff). For this Sage, people’s speech offers a window into the state of the heart, and therefore reveal their true character. And this is true. A well-formed character knows what to say and what not to say in every situation.
4 – The Gospel reading (Lk 6:39-45) presents Jesus’ teaching on human character, using various aphorisms to explore this theme. First, by means of a rhetorical question, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?” (Lk 6:39), Jesus points out the need for good characters in those to be entrusted with leadership roles, and compares a leader without character to a blind person who is asked to lead another blind person. Entrusting such a person with leadership roles would be equivalent to throwing the group off the cliff. How often have we placed characterless persons in leadership positions, and end up later reaping the sour fruit of our lack of discernment?
Examples of this are frequently witnessed in our social, civil, political and religious arena. Once a leader lacks discipline, moral courage and integrity which are the hallmarks of good character, no “grace of office” can save the situation. The harm has been done and the group or society under such a leader is heading towards ruin (“fall into a pit”).
5 – Next Jesus challenges us to form or refine our character. Employing the metaphor of teacher-student relationship, he emphasizes the need for proper education and moral formation in the building of a person’s character: “No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher” (Lk 4:40). A student learns a lot from his teacher, and when he graduates, he is often like his teacher in many ways. Jesus’ words are a challenge to all who are in charge of the young: parents, teachers, pastors, youth leaders, and indeed all adults. Our own character, more than our words, contributes a lot in shaping the character of the future generation.
6 – But we are also to understand that each of us is always a student. We are to take our own continuous formation or reformation seriously. Far too many are those who think they know it all, and they don’t need anybody to teach them, or correct them, or speak into their life. This is a big character flaw that can destroy a person.
Without adequate moral formation our character will be flawed, just like a tree that is not constantly pruned grows wild (v. 43). Conversely, just like a diseased tree can be remedied through care and cultivation, moral formation and education can refine character. As Sirach puts in the 1stR, “the fruit of a tree discloses the care it has received” (Sir 27:6).
7 – Equally important for the building of character is fraternal correction. The Bible recognizes that if one sees his fellow commit a sin, he must reprove him, and thus bring him back to the way of life (Lev 19:17). However, Jesus insists that one who would reprove another should first ensure that he is not guilty of a similar or even greater fault than that of the one he would correct. Self-correction is a prerequisite for engaging in fraternal correction.
8 – Finally, Jesus turns his attention to the question of discernment of character. Discernment is very important in life. It helps us avoid a lot of pitfalls in our relationship with others. It helps you to know who or what you are as well to know others and how to deal with them. Failure to discern characters properly can often have terrible consequences in life. It can lead to wrong choice of close associates or life partners and to misplaced trust. Discernment is so central in life that St Benedict, the Father of Monasticism, called it the mother of all virtues and referred to it several times in the Benedictine Rule.
9 – Jesus’ answer to the question of discernment draws from the field of horticulture, precisely the cultivation of fruit trees. Fruits differ according to their species: figs do not come from the thornbush nor do grapes come from the bramble (Lk 6:44). But fruits of the same species can also differ in quality, according to the health of the tree and depending on the care provided: a good tree yields good fruits, and a diseased tree yields diseased fruits (Lk 6:43). Very simple: “By their fruits you will know them” (Mt 7:16). One’s behaviour matches one’s character: “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil….” (Lk 6:45).
10 – Jesus is saying that to discern a person’s character, we should look beyond external self-portrayals of people and look for their real acts, which are the fruits that reveal their hearts. We should look at their behaviours, their general lifestyle, the way they speak, the way they regard or disregard others, their openness to admonitions and corrections, etc. A well-formed character exhibits integrity, honesty, justice, fairness, empathy and respect for all. People of character recognize their limitations and therefore handle criticisms constructively. They admit mistakes, learn from them, express genuine remorse and apologize graciously. A good character knows the difference between wants and needs, can sacrifice the now for the later, and has control over their actions and impulses.
11 – Acquisition of good character involves inner renewal. In the 2ndR (1Cor 15:54-58), this is called putting off one’s corruptible flawed character, and donning the incorruptible character of virtues. Thus renewed, the person “out of the store of goodness in his heart will produce good”, namely “the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22). One with such a formed character need fear no evil, not even death, for Christ guarantees him victory (1Cor15:55-57).
12 – What is your character? Is your character that of integrity and discipline, or do you settle for a life of moral laxity? A person with true character knows the difference between character and reputation. Reputation is the way others see you, but character is your true self, whether or not anyone is around. Let us work on our character, and it will reflect in our reputation.
Have a great Sunday and a blessed week.
Fr. Emeka Okite
2nd March 2025, 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time C
