October 17, 2007
Wednesday in the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 11: 42-46
The Lord said: “Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love of God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others. Woe to you Pharisees! You the love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces. Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.” Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, “Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.” And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in you; deliver me from all lack of faith. Lord, I hope in you; teach me the peace that comes from trusting in you without wavering. Lord, I love you; may my heart and will turn to giving myself entirely for the good of others. Lord, I thank you again for all your countless benefits. Words do not suffice to express the debt of gratitude I owe you. I thank you simply for this new day and being able to devote these moments of prayer and silence just for you.
Petition: God our Father, teach me the way of love and sustain me in this path.
1. “Woe to You Pharisees” In this Gospel passage it is the whole attitude of the Pharisees that grieves and mortifies the Lord. In a form of false religion which we would call “pharisaism,” the Pharisees immerse themselves with extreme scrupulosity in peripheral precepts of religion, but their hearts are far from the core of true religion found in real love and concern for the good of others. The Pharisees’ blindness goes hand-in-hand with their harsh judgment of anyone who doesn’t conform to their meager standards. It is also possible for a Christian to hypocritically nitpick like a Pharisee, thinking he is superior to others because he practices, for instance, numerous devotions to saints, provides an elaborate show of piety in public, or contributes more money than most in each Sunday collection in the parish. These are just a few examples of where looking good on the outside is not enough. What would it profit anyone to do these things if he doesn’t also have charity in his heart or treats others badly as soon as he leaves the Church?
2. Loving Honors The Pharisees also relish their places of honor in synagogues and being greeted respectfully in the marketplaces. There is nothing wrong with the mere fact that they have a seat of honor in the synagogue or are greeted respectfully by others in a public place. What the Lord objects to is the way the Pharisees look for their own vainglory and self-satisfaction in these marks of distinction; the attitude, not the externals, is what is wrong. We Christians must also realize that this Gospel is directed at us. We too are being called to do everything with the utmost purity of intention: for love of Christ, for the glory of God, for the good of the Church, etc. There is no place in a Christian’s life for selfish ambition and vainglory; such thoughts would quickly part a Christian from the way Christ has taught us.
3. Not Lifting a Finger to Help Others Christ takes advantage of the protest from one of the scholars of the law to put his final touch on the importance of charity. In Christ’s eyes it would simply be an exercise in futility to be articulate in pronouncing laws and rules of any shape or form, including church rules or laws, if one doesn’t even lift his finger to take burdens off his neighbor. In this final part of the meditation, it is necessary for each of us to ask ourselves what kind of works of Christian charity we sincerely do. Do I think often of those less fortunate than myself? Do my thoughts turn instinctively to the idea of making life happier and less burdensome for others, and do I put all this into effect? Or am I only thinking of how others can take the burden and load off me?
Dialogue with Christ: Lord Jesus, if I have everything else imaginable, but don’t have love, I am nothing. Keep me in that love which shapes all I do, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, and never fails. In short, may I live to give.
Resolution: I shall make a special effort to offer my regular duties in my workplace or at home for the conversion of those who are not practicing their Catholic faith.
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