Commentary of the Gospell

September 9, 2022

Blind Spots

In 1955 psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham together created the “Johari Window” concept which maps how much we and others know of ourselves. Of the four quadrants of this window of awareness is the “blind spot”—that part of our self  known to others but unknown to us. Jesus today speaks about how judgmental of others we are, while remaining happily oblivious to our own blind spots. A sign of human maturity is the growing awareness of one’s own blind spots. Such awareness leads to a deeper knowledge of oneself and a greater compassion for others, for we would have known by then that as human beings, we are more similar than different in our blind spots. We may still attempt to offer corrections, but in private, respectfully and fraternally, and without disgracing the other. And, if the other still persists in his or her blind spots, we will also know how to bear one another’s burden and thus fulfil the law of Christ (cf. Gal 6:2).

Paulson Veliyannoor, CMF - Claretian Publications Philippines