I have two other brothers and when we were growing up, as it was common for kids and families when there was trouble or someone did something, we’d always point a finger at the other brother and say he did it. But I remember this lesson that my mother taught us, she said, “Don’t point fingers at other because when you do, guess what? There are three fingers pointing right back at you.”

So I never forgot that little lesson and it reminded me today, I think, of the important lesson in this gospel story. If we want to make the world a better place, it doesn’t start with pointing fingers at other people and calling out their sins, or their failings, or shortcomings. If we want to make the world a better place we have to start with making changes, and the first and most important place of all, and that’s in ourselves.

Today, in the gospel story, we hear Jesus say some very unusual things. He says, “If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. Or your leg.” That’s pretty drastic and dramatic. But Jesus those words, or that image, because he wants to make a point to those who are listening to him. He wants to remind us, don’t focus so much on the faults, or the sins, or the shortcomings of others. Focus rather, instead, on yourself, that’s the place where we need to change. What do we need to do to be better at loving, and caring, and forgiving, and listening? Where do we need more patience? Where do we need to be a better servant to others?

And so I remember that little lesson that our mother taught us, “Don’t point the finger at other people, because when you do, there are three other fingers pointing right back at you.

Let’s think about it today and think about where we can make the world a better place. Where we can make our little corner of the world better. Not focusing on the faults of others, but remembering first and foremost where change needs to take place most, in ourselves.