Jesus Denounces Pharisees and Lawyers

“Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish,
but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
You fools!
Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?
But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.“

Have read this passage before, but I either have concentrated on verse 42 (Not in today’s reading), where Jesus points out the judgement that the Pharisees call upon themselves or totally ignored to understand the true meaning of verse 41 (today’s last verse).

Does this verse not remind us of how we ourselves do things…, but at the end of the day, will our our outward actions lead us to happiness, joy and peace that will remain with us. Instead, we get a quick and short dose of excitement which fades away. Do we really want this. Do we not want satisfaction, like when we do something with our own hands, and there is a sense of accomplishment. Verse 41 – But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you, is an invitation from Jesus to the Pharisees and also to us; do not ignore yourself, trust God to help you, do not let yourself to corruption, hold on to yourself with hope, tend to the garden of your heart, and God will not come visiting, but He will come to stay.

Appreciate how God has created you, you may not see any beauty in yourself, but God has made you and said you are good. We need to shift focus and learn to be grateful to all that God has gifted us and be content. At times in seeing the mess and problems around us, we become blind to what is already before us, actions that God initiated even before our current problems, to help us. We need to calm ourselves, stretch out our hands, and ask Jesus to take hold of it. Finally, trust Him. In these past few days I am experiencing this, and as I see Him providing for me and clearing my path, I am overwhelmed and grateful. Thank You Jesus!

I invite you to try, a small step/action at a time… Come Holy Spirit enlighten our darkened understanding.