Excuse me while I get this huge plank out of my eye...

"You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
~ Matthew 7:5

(Thanks to CD for her "Judge Not" post, which gave me strength to share this very embarrassing story!)

Most of the time, in order to get through to me, it is necessary for God to hit me over the head with a 2x4. So this weekend at Mass, that is what He did.

See, there's this friend of mine who's a real sinner, for sure. Without going into too much sordid detail, let me just say that this guy is undoubtedly living in a situation that is not in accord with Church teaching. And the thing is, I see him at Mass all the time--even on weekdays--marching right up to receive Communion like he was all perfectly in a state of grace and everything. This puzzles me, and makes me mad, and gets me all judgmental. Could this guy possibly be going to Confession, like, every morning before Mass? I can't figure it out.

Well, my friend was at Mass this Sunday, sitting right up front. And much to my dismay, when the Eucharistic Ministers lined up to get the Blessed Sacrament to take out for distribution, my friend marched right up there.

"B? A Eucharistic Minister? Impossible!" I thought. Since I wasn't wearing my glasses, I literally did not believe my nearsighted eyes. I asked Bill if he was sure it was B. And it was him. So I proceeded to completely and totally freak out.

"This sinful guy? A Eucharistic Minister? Nooooooooooo! So wrong! Should I say something--you know, like after Mass? To whom? Father? Our liturgical director? B himself? Okay, so doing that might be a bit self-righteous...but he's such a sinner! This just can't be happening!"

"Please, God, send Him to the other side of the Church, away from me. Okay, well, he's walking this way, so at least send him to the other side of the aisle. Perhaps he'll have the Precious Blood which I'm skipping today because of my sore throat? Nope...he's got the Body of Christ...and he's coming to my row...and yep, I have no choice but to receive Communion from this guy."

So there I was--trapped, with no way to avoid receiving Communion from a total sinner. I'm very embarrassed to admit that I was so upset that I actually considered forgoing Communion. I gave Bill a big-eyed shocked-and-dismayed look over WWD's head, and Bill whispered "Humility."

Humility indeed. The next thought that popped into my Pharasaical little head was what I told you before: "Receiving Communion from a sinner. From a sinner from a sinner from a SINNER." I suppose that phrase was the aforementioned divine 2x4, because then it became clear to me how ridiculous I was being. Because, of course, all the Eucharistic Ministers are sinners. So is everyone else. So is Father. So am I.

SO. AM. I.

So I bowed my head, closed my eyes, and thanked God for the indescribable, unimaginable miracle that is his mercy. And I joined with Our Lord's beloved tax collectors, adulterors, thieves, and murderers, and received the Blessed Sacrament from a fellow sinner.

O Divine Lord,
how shall I dare to approach You,
I who have so often offended You?
No, Lord, I am not worthy
that You should enter under my roof;
but speak only the word
and my soul shall be healed.

Amen.