Luke 11:37-41
In today’s gospel a Pharisee, after hearing Jesus
preaching, invites Him for a dinner. But this Pharisee, together with
other Pharisees denounces Jesus for non-observance of the prescribed religious
law of washing before meals. However, Jesus in turn denounced their
hypocrisy by emphasizing the importance of interior cleanliness over and above
any manifestation of religiosity. Jesus saw the “plunder and evil” that filled
the hearts of his accusers. And so, Jesus shows that true cleanliness
comes not from outside but from the heart. Religious practices spring from love
of God. If our religious practices are done to impress others, they count for
nothing in God’s eyes.
Some times we live like the Pharisees in a kind of show off
of what we are and what we do in terms of moral and religious aspects. We are
some times like the Pharisee in the gospel who was very religious in following
the ceremonial law of cleansing his hands yet missing the very important part
of cleansing his heart. Cleansing our hearts demand renewal which consists in
throwing away whatever is evil inside us. In other words we must turn away from
our sinfulness and make ourselves closer to God. With this we can say that
whatever we do or say is a fruit of our love for God and for our brothers and
sisters.
Let us ask ourselves: Are our external actions fruits of
our deep relationship with God? Are they expressions of our eagerness to do His
will? Can we distinguish the essentials and nonessentials in the
practice of our faith?
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