10/13/2026 (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.”
10/13/2026 (Tuesday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homily / sermon: Luke 11:37-41
Theme: What Matters Most to God
Jesus is invited to dine at the home of a Pharisee. The Pharisee is surprised that Jesus does not first perform the customary ritual washing before the meal. Jesus uses the moment to teach that God is not primarily concerned with what appears clean on the outside while the heart remains filled with greed and selfishness. He reminds them that true holiness begins within and becomes visible through generosity and love.
C – CLEAN THE HEART
A cup may look beautiful on the outside, but what matters most is what it contains. The same is true of our lives. We can appear respectable, successful, religious, and even devoted, yet still carry anger, envy, pride, resentment, or selfishness within us.
Jesus challenges us to look deeper. External appearance can impress people, but God sees what others cannot see. He knows our motives, our intentions, our hidden struggles, and the condition of our hearts.
Therefore, spiritual growth begins with an honest examination of ourselves. Instead of constantly trying to look good before others, we must allow God to clean what is inside us. A clean heart produces a beautiful life.
U – UNSELFISHLY GIVE
Jesus connects inner cleanliness with generosity. When the heart is transformed, our hands become more willing to give.
Sometimes we hold tightly to our possessions, time, talents, and attention because we are afraid that giving will leave us with less. But generosity teaches us that life is not measured by how much we keep, but by how much good we are willing to share.
We can give without being rich. We can give encouragement to someone who is discouraged, forgiveness to someone who hurt us, time to someone who feels forgotten, food to someone who is hungry, and compassion to someone who is struggling.
A generous heart reflects a heart that has learned to trust God.
P – PRACTICE INNER PURITY
Inner purity is not about becoming perfect overnight. It is about allowing God to continually transform us.
Every day gives us opportunities to examine our attitudes. Before criticizing someone, we can ask whether our own heart needs correction. Before judging another person’s weakness, we can remember our own imperfections. Before seeking recognition, we can ask whether our actions are truly motivated by love.
Our faith should not be merely something people see during worship. It should influence how we speak at home, how we treat coworkers, how we respond to difficult people, and how we behave when nobody is watching.
The greatest transformation happens when what is inside and what is outside begin to agree.
Our lives are like cups. What matters is not how beautifully the cup is decorated, but what we allow God to place inside it.
CUP reminds us: Clean the heart, Unselfishly give, and Practice inner purity. When our hearts are filled with love, generosity, humility, and compassion, our outward lives naturally become a reflection of God’s goodness.
May we not simply look faithful. May we become faithful from the inside out.
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