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.” (Lk 11:37-41)
Now, don’t get the wrong idea.
Jesus is not telling His people that they can “buy” heaven.
However, Jesus is telling His people that there is something very important that they are often missing: others.
The Pharisees were hardly concerned with the plight of other people. They were only interested in themselves. Therefore, they never really cared for anyone else.
Jesus, in telling them that they were wrong, told them the quickest way to fix their predicament: to put the same energy that they put into themselves into other people.
We are often like the Pharisees. We often care about our own concerns and turn a blind eye to the needs of those around us.
The Gospel is directed at us today as well as the Pharisees back then. We need to turn our eye off of ourselves and on to the needs of those around us.
Do that and we shall be accomplishing the will of our Father.
FAITH ACTION: Is there someone that you have been ignoring who could truly use your help. Reach out to that person today.