“Having worked through the Steps, your sponsor should be a knowledgeable and encouraging guide who can help you work through all the Twelve Steps—and rework them as many times as necessary—because they have done so themselves. One of the major benefits of a sponsor is having someone who has been where you are and has made it to the other side, so to speak. When it comes to writing down your personal moral inventory, composing your amends list, considering practices of maintaining conscious contact with God, and so on, it’s important to have someone who has done it all before and can share the wisdom and insight that they have learned from it.”
The “plank and speck” passage directly parallels Steps 4 and 10. Step 4 calls us to make a “searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves,” while Step 10 urges us to continue taking personal inventory. Both require us to face our own faults before addressing the shortcomings of others. Steps 6 and 7 highlight the role of humility: “We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character” and “Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.” Here, we acknowledge our limitations and invite God to remove the “plank” from our eye, knowing only His grace makes this possible. Steps 8 and 9 then lead us to make amends to those we have harmed. These can only be carried out sincerely when humility and charity move us to put God and others ahead of ourselves.
Finally, Step 12 directs us toward service. Only after working through the previous Steps and experiencing a spiritual awakening—that is, after the “plank” has been removed—are we able to carry the message to others. Tradition 5 in Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions affirms this truth: “Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.” In this way, we avoid distractions and remain clear-sighted guides for others.
Reflection Questions
- How do you guard yourself against hypocrisy and distinguish between judgmental condemnation and necessary discernment?
- What has it been like to “first take the plank out of your own eye,” and how has this helped you serve others more effectively? How do you remain aware of your blind spots?
Daily Mass Readings
First Reading: 1 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:1b-2a and 5, 7-8, 11
Gospel: Luke 6:39-42
Reflection by Stephanie N.