10/17/2023 (Tuesday) Today’s gospel reading: Luke 11:37-41
37 After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat.
38 The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
39 The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.
40 You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
41 But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
10/17/2023 (Tuesday) Today’s gospel reflection / homily / sermon: Luke 11:37-41
It maybe hard to imagine Jesus calling His host as a fool and the host is a Pharisee at that! Yet He is Jesus, the Teacher of all teachers. He is no hypocrite nor a coward. He calls a spade a spade. This is not the first time or the last that he chastised the Pharisees and other religious leaders. Several times He uttered the word woe to them. It is because they are like whitewashed tombs which are beautiful outside but inside are full of dead people’s bones and uncleanness (Matthew 23:27).
Jesus takes every opportunity to teach a lesson or two. It doesn’t matter where the place is or who the audience is. He keeps on hammering the point that faith and charity are more important than religious rituals such as washing of hands before eating. After all, outward appearances do not matter if the heart is full of evil. He says, “From the fullness of the heart,the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).
So let us always check our thought patterns and motivations and make sure goodness and kindness fill our heart and mind. Let us constantly ask God to purify us and to forgive us our foolishness and lack of generosity.
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