The blind leading the blind

Saint Matthew - Chapter 15

If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the pit. J-J Tissot

[10] Et convocatis ad se turbis, dixit eis : Audite, et intelligite.
And having called together the multitudes unto him, he said to them: Hear ye and understand.

[11] Non quod intrat in os, coinquinat hominem : sed quod procedit ex ore, hoc coinquinat hominem.
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man: but what cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

[12] Tunc accedentes discipuli ejus, dixerunt ei : Scis quia pharisaei audito verbo hoc, scandalizati sunt?
Then came his disciples, and said to him: Dost thou know that the Pharisees, when they heard this word, were scandalized?

[13] At ille respondens ait : Omnis plantatio, quam non plantavit Pater meus caelestis, eradicabitur.
But he answering them, said: Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

[14] Sinite illos : caeci sunt, et duces caecorum; caecus autem si caeco ducatum praestet, ambo in foveam cadunt.
Let them alone: they are blind, and leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the pit.

Let them alone, &c. He means, let the Scribes be scandalised. Do not be troubled that they are offended at my doctrine and correction. They themselves are blind. They do not see the light of truth and of faith which I set before them, but in their blindness and error, whereby they make sanctity consist in washing and other external things, they are obstinate and incorrigible; and are leaders of the blind, namely, of the people, to whom they teach this error, and would drag with themselves into the pit of destruction. Wherefore I openly demonstrate this their error to the multitudes who are as yet capable of being enlightened and corrected, that they may beware of it. Christ here teaches that the scandal of the Pharisees is to be despised, when, forsooth, anyone is scandalised and offended by his own malice and perverse obstinacy. For, as S. Gregory says, “If offence be taken at the truth, it is better that scandal should arise than the truth be abandoned” (Hom. vii. in Ezek.).

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam