Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
I’m feeling a little bit like one of the Pharisees Jesus is denouncing in today’s gospel passage from Luke. Having harbored judgmental thoughts about my spouse earlier in the day related to a calendar error on his part, while priding myself on being nearly perfect in the area of calendars and planning, I sat down to write this reflection. I began as I usually do with reading the scriptures for the day and doing a little research in a study bible, as well as taking some time for prayerful reflection and note taking before beginning to write. After some time, I felt inspired, had some notes, and began to type my reflection. Then it suddenly hit me. I had just prepared for the wrong day.
Ok, God, yes maybe I did say a little prayer asking for humility in my spousal relationship, and you served up a pretty good dose of it. So, back to the drawing board, I read the correct day’s scripture readings and was met with the Pharisees. God is good, and sometimes it means we have to get uncomfortable.
I like to be right, and find some comfort in following certain rules and expectations, perhaps similar to the Pharisees. The problem comes, however, when we sit in judgment of others, while we are “filled with plunder and evil” and don’t even see it. How much easier it is to notice other people’s faults, errors, weaknesses, etc. than our own.
Similarly, St. Paul reminds us in his letter to the Galatians that it is not so much what rules we follow or how we appear on the outside (i.e. being circumcised or not) that “counts for anything”; rather it is “faith working through love” through which we gain freedom in Christ. As in Luke’s gospel Jesus exclaims, “You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?”
Further, Jesus’ prescription for the cleanliness the Pharisees are seeking is to “give alms.” In other words, by giving to others, rather than focusing on doing things the “right way”, we find greater freedom and an inner “cleanliness” of our own sinfulness (i.e. pride, arrogance, deceit, etc.). Of course, this doesn’t give us permission to ignore God’s commands, the greatest being loving God and loving our neighbors as ourselves. On the contrary, when we are cleansed of our own sinfulness, we can join the psalmist in singing, “I will delight in your commands, which I love.”
Sometimes I fool myself into thinking that being right is preferable to being humble. Today I was given the initially uncomfortable reminder that Jesus’ way of love brings much greater freedom. How might Jesus be calling you to greater freedom this week?
May God be praised.
~Eileen Miller