WHAT IS INSIDE YOU MATTERS MOST
Introduction
Paul insists that our freedom comes from our faith in Christ and we should never again give away that freedom. The only thing that matters is faith working through love.
In today’s gospel Jesus reacts against pious Jews who stress the observance of the externals – laws, rules, customs – without inspiration and motivation from inside. Most probably the Pharisees were sincere in practicing these outward regulations, but they easily gave the ones practicing them the conviction of saving themselves through them. In fact, in today’s world too externals count heavily. People buy things for their wrappings. Appearances are often all that matters… It is not the shining cup that matters but the contents. Indeed, the contents must be first-rate.
Opening Prayer
Lord, our God,
Jesus touched the dead and unclean lepers
to raise them to life and to heal them.
Let us not be afraid
of dirtying our hands to help people
but of soiling our tongues to tell lies
and to besmear the good name
of our brothers and sisters,
to quarrel with them and to hurt them.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading: GALATIANS 5:1-6
Brothers and sisters: For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. It is I, Paul, who am telling you that if you have yourselves circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcised that he is bound to observe the entire law. You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Responsorial Psalm 119:41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48
R. (41a) Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
Let your mercy come to me, O LORD,
your salvation according to your promise. R.
Take not the word of truth from my mouth,
for in your ordinances is my hope. R.
And I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever. R.
And I will walk at liberty,
because I seek your precepts. R.
And I will delight in your commands,
which I love. R.
And I will lift up my hands to your commands
and meditate on your statutes. R.
Alleluia HEBREWS 4:12
Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LUKE 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.”
Commentary
Educating the Inside
Atheist Alain de Botton believes that “Christianity is focused on helping a part of us that secular language struggles even to name, […] the soul. It has been the essential task of the Christian pedagogic machine to nurture, reassure, comfort and guide our souls.” But, do our present-day educational institutions live up to this expectation? Here is an exercise: Visit the websites of a few catholic educational institutions in your country. Look through the curriculum of the courses offered. I am afraid that, using the gospel language of the day, our curricula are about cleaning the outside while neglecting the inside, by design or default. We need to recapture the object of education which is “to make capable and cultivated human beings” (John Stuart Mill) who will have “a love of our neighbour, a desire for clearing human confusion and for diminishing human misery” (Matthew Arnold) and love of God, to top it all.
Intercessions
– That the People of God, its leaders and members, may never put the law above people but always practice the great commandment of loving God in one another, we pray:
– That priests and religious make the poverty and love of Christ visible in them, so that their teaching may be credible, we pray:
– That our communities may be strong and faithful witnesses in our world for the truth, honesty and authenticity, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
you look into our hearts
and you invite us to come to the table of Jesus
and to worship you with him
in spirit and in truth.
Let there be no pretence in us,
no mere outward display,
no attempt to impress people
as to how good and religious we are.
Make us honest with you and ourselves
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
this Eucharist has been for us
an occasion of reflection
on the way we live our faith.
Let the word of Jesus echo in us
that we do not save ourselves
by our own practices,
but that we owe everything to you.
Accept our thanks and love
that all we are and have
we have received from you
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
What is inside us? God knows, and I hope each of us knows too. May the Lord love what he sees, and may almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!