Reflection for Tuesday October 17, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr: Luke 11:37-41

Gospel: Luke 11:37-41

After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal. 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. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

+ + + + +  + +

Reflection:

Was the Pharisee who invited Jesus to dine in his house a fan of Jesus?  Perhaps yes he was a fan for he liked the wisdom and eloquence of Jesus that’s why he invited Jesus to dine in his home. Everything was going smoothly between the teacher and His fan until Jesus did not wash His hands before eating. 

Did Jesus purposely skip washing His hands so that His fan would see Him doing it? Yes, yet there was a deeper reason why he did not wash His hands. Jesus wanted His fan (The Pharisee) to realize that there is something more profound than mere external observance of the Jewish law.   

For Jesus it’s always what’s inside our hearts! Never mind those things that are visible to the naked eye for the reason that what is seen will eventually pass and be forgotten. But what is in our hearts will never be forgotten. For example, the unseen acts kindness and love that we do to our fellowmen.

For instance, we forever remember the acts of kindness and love that has been given or done to us. But we don’t anymore remember the external appearance (What clothes he/she was wearing and so forth) of the person who did these acts of kindness and love for us.

Jesus is always biased with acts of kindness and love most especially unseen acts of kindness and love. For these are the spirit and backbone of His teachings. Jesus never taught us to always be concerned about our external appearance, reputation and the many other external aspects of our worldly lives. - Marino J. Dasmarinas