Did you happen to notice that Jesus called the Pharisees fools in today’s gospel? Jesus was invited to dinner in someone’s home and yet he insulted them to their face, at the dinner table. (Surely that will make the pope cringe today when he reads the gospel.) However, like anything else in life, a lot depends on where we put our focus. The readings for Mass are no different.
Still, it is somewhat of a relief to see that Jesus lost his temper and called people names sometimes too. He was a human being like us after all and had many of the same emotions and feelings of irritation that we do. Surely he can identify with us when we exhibit less than perfect Christian behavior sometimes too.
Jesus isn’t nearly as hard on us as some of the very strict Catholics seems to think he is. Remember that he said once to be careful how you judge, because the same measuring stick you used to judge others, will be the same measuring stick that you will be judged by? That’s what happened with the Pharisee in the gospel today. Jesus wouldn’t have gotten so upset that he called the Pharisee a fool, unless the Pharisee started it. The Pharisee got back what he gave out. That right there ought to be a lesson to us that it might be better to overlook minor flaws or venial sins in others, if we would like others to overlook ours too. If we call attention to other people’s minor flaws and sins, than we deserve for them to call attention to ours too.
It would have been better for the Pharisee to have kept his mouth closed about Jesus forgetting to wash his hands. We get back what we dish out in life and that is exactly what Jesus is calling attention to when he said:
“Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.”
What do you want to bet if the Pharisee had not said anything, then Jesus wouldn’t have said anything either? Dinner would have gone a lot more smoothly, that’s for sure.
However, before we completely bash this Pharisee in today’s gospel, we should notice what Jesus said at the end of the gospel:
“But, as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
The good Lord gave the Pharisee a way to redeem himself. He didn’t have to do that, but he did. Jesus did not completely condemn this man. He still sought the good of the Pharisee. The good Lord does not want to see anyone go to hell, not even a Pharisee who is too strict with everyone.
So many times we make a mountain out of a mole hill too, just like the Pharisee did in the way he couldn’t overlook the fact that Christ didn’t wash his hands. Saint Paul is chastising the Galatians for this very same thing in the first reading for Mass, and they were his fellow Christians! What difference did it make whether a man was circumcised or not? His faith and heart was what mattered, not the technicality of manmade rules.
Circumcision and washing your hands before you eat are still good things in our day and age too, but is it really any of our business what other people do?
One way of looking at the scriptures today is that we should mind our own business. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing, or not doing. Saint Paul puts it quite bluntly today, just like Christ did with the Pharisee. Saint Paul said:
“You who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”
It isn’t the rules that are in question, it is our attitude about the rules. It’s about how we treat other people because of the rules. Even if they are not following them, it is not our place to condemn them for it, or be overly hurtful when we do need to correct them. Being the first to show respect for others can go a long way in paving the road for peace.
Daily Mass Readings:
Galatians 5: 1-6 / Psalm 119 / Luke 11: 37-41
