“Fools! Did not God, who made the outside, also make the inside?” (Lk 11:40)

 “Fools! Did not God, who made the outside, also make the inside?” (Lk 11:40)

Today’s Passage: Lk 11:37-41

Meditation:  Oh! Poor man! This is of course too much for the host Pharisee. He was very much impressed earlier by Jesus’ previous talk on the light of the body and so he invited Jesus privately for a dinner. As he entered the house, the host Pharisee thought that he and his family was blessed by the presence of a great teacher, Jesus. Some neighbors and family members were also there and eager to hear Jesus. After spending some time chatting with them Jesus was at the table. Now the Pharisee came to notice that Jesus did not wash his hands before eating that was against the Jewish law. Knowing that the Pharisee was thinking about this, Jesus turned against him and said, “Fools! Did not God, who made the outside, also make the inside?” The Pharisee might have thought now that he should not have invited Jesus for a dinner for such was the humiliation now he has undergone before all other invitees. How do you feel about it? My point of reflection on today’s word of the Lord is the Pharisee’s failure to see his own shortcomings and failures. He was very eager to notice that Jesus was not following the law of ritual washing. In the beginning years of my pastoral life, I was very happy with cleaning the bed room and office by myself. But later only, when some visitor noticed and told me that my room was not so clean and neat, I became aware that it is very easy for a man to notice the faults of others, but very difficult to find his own. From then onwards I never failed to ask someone’s help to clean my room. Others may see better our shortcomings and failures better than us. It was just like going for a confession. Let Jesus be invited to our lives often, and then only we will be able to realize our grave sins and weaknesses of which we were not aware of. He may speak against us, but that is only corrective and redemptive.

                     

 Prayer:    Lord God, we thank you and praise you for your daily eternal bread. Since we are very weak and unable to see our sins as you see, we need always your correction in our daily life. We may never forget in our lives this word of the Lord, “My son, pay attention when the Lord corrects you, and do not be discouraged when he rebukes you. Because the Lord corrects everyone he loves, and punishes everyone he accepts as son.” (Heb 12:5) Amen!

Greetings:       Take courage God is with you! Have a nice and blissful Tuesday…