“Don't try to be different. Just be good. To be good is different enough……. You wear a mask for so long, you forget who you were beneath it…..Man was made by God, to live for God and to be with God for all eternity….Mankind does not know who he is until this reality is fully realized…Christ is called “Savior” for a reason…First and foremost, He saves us from our selves, our rationalizations, and most importantly our sins…….The “masks” we wear for others rob us of who we truly are – Children of God……….Jesus said I have come to give you life and give it to you in abundance. Nothing is lost in being a disciple of Christ……Our “true self” is found in obedience and the “yoke” of that obedience is truly sweet…Dare to be “different”……”

Gospel Text: (Lk 11:37-41)

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.”

 

Reflect, today, upon these powerful words of Jesus: “You fools!” Don’t be offended by these words; they are words of love from our Lord. They are His fierce attempt to wake this Pharisee up and lead him away from his hypocrisy. Listen to these words as if they were also spoken to you. Every one of us can humbly benefit from this loving chastisement from Jesus. Every one of us needs to humbly be transformed more fully interiorly. Let Jesus’ words speak to you and reveal to you the ways that you need to change. Perhaps your pride has led you to an interior practice of judgment of others. Perhaps it has blinded you to sins that you need to confess. If you can listen to these words as if they were spoken to you, then Jesus’ fervor will reach you, and your eyes will be opened to that which is in your soul that needs to be changed. Do not turn a blind eye to this. Be open, be humble and listen.