“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 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.” (Luke 11:37-41)

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is emphasizing the importance of a clean spirit. If we focus only on outward appearances and neglect our souls, this will not get us into Heaven. How many of us have gotten baptized, confirmed, and attend weekly Mass and think that this is the extent of our obligation to God? How many of us think that once we are in the Catholic ‘club’ that there is nothing more for us to do? We are called to be saints and to grow closer to God each day by practicing virtue and avoiding sin. Yet, an alarmingly small percentage of Catholics go to confession. There is much work to be done beyond receiving sacraments and attending Mass. Many of us tend to these things to give the outward appearance that we are good Catholics while at the same time neglecting the care of our souls. We rarely pray and never confess our sins. Yet, Jesus tells us this is the most important part of a holy life. As Jesus tells us, if we clean the inside then the outside will automatically follow suit. We need to worry more about our internal life than putting on a mask of holiness. Clean the inside and the outside will also shine.

Copyright 2022 Jessica Tucker