Reflection for October 11, Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:37-41

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.”

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Reflection:

Maria is very particular with external appearance she would always dress well. The exterior of her house is always refreshing to the eyes. Her neighbor was wondering how come she’s able to afford such luxuries considering that she had no job to speak of?  

 One morning a rich woman was shouting in front of her house telling her to leave her husband alone otherwise she would be forced to bring her to court for having a relationship with a married man.  

Many of us are very particular with what others will see from us. As much as possible we would always try to paint a good picture of ourselves. This is who many of us are, very much driven with the exterior, fleeting and those that do not last for a lifetime.  

Jesus is not taken with this show of misleading exterior appearance. What counts for Jesus is  our inner selves and the things that we do especially when nobody sees us. For example, how do we react when we see the poor begging for alms? Do we do something to help them? Or we simply don’t care; anyway no one is looking at us, so might as well not mind the poor.  

Jesus knows everything about us, we cannot keep anything from Him. He knows our hidden secrets, our double talk and the façade that we try so very hard to display so that we could create an impression of righteousness, power, wealth and extravagance. - Marino J. Dasmarinas