Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
An eye-doctor who I met recently listened to me share about the frustration with my glasses. I shared with her how many times I have to take my glasses off in order to function. Without my glasses I can only see about two feet with them on I can’t read. She asked me why I did not have bifocals. My own eye doctor told me it is best to wait as long as possible to get them. This doctor shared with me that waiting may make it impossible for my eyes and brain to adapt to bifocals. Her point of view gave me a new perspective on how to see near and far through the same set of lenses.
In the Gospel, Jesus is challenging the Pharisees that their perspective lacks the ability to clearly see the big picture. If one simply worries about cleaning the outside of the cup or dish then one is focused most fully on external realities. This means the reality of the interior is being overlooked. Jesus challenges us to see reality from God’s perspective, perhaps we might say spiritual lenses.
Spiritual lenses, do not mean rose-colored glasses. They instead challenge us to look at the world from a “life is real” perspective. There are so many ways of looking at reality around us. Many in our society are telling us all how to think, talk and act. For Paul, this means calling out the truth and not suppressing it. We must not trade “the truth of God for a lie.”
In order to love radically, and gain a Godly perspective in all we say and do, Jesus challenges us to give alms. In the process of giving to others we begin to see the need within and not just externals. How is God calling us to give alms today?
—Deacon Michael Montgomery