Daily Gospel Reflection for October 17, 2023

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Luke 11:37-41

This poor Pharisee. Don’t you wonder what his motive was when he asked Jesus to come over for supper?

He was amazed that, unlike himself and his holy friends, Jesus did not wash before dinner. Scripture doesn’t tell us if the Pharisee said anything. Perhaps his reaction was enough, but Jesus knew what was in his heart.

Our poor Pharisee was so worried about washing the outside, he had neglected his inside. His outside was clean, but his inside was filled with plunder and evil. Try to imagine the humiliation he may have felt that day. He had been called out, but Jesus didn’t just leave him there, sitting in his guilt.

The Pharisee is told that for his inside to be clean, he must give alms. It seems like a strange reparation. How can giving alms change one’s heart?

It’s all about love. To give alms in the way that Jesus asks us to requires compassion for others. The whole of our Christian life is about being other Christs, letting others see Jesus in us, giving to others from His compassion. It means our insides are clean.

The maker of our outside also made our inside. He also cleansed us, inside and out, and made us His own at Baptism. This is who you are, this is who He made you to be. Having a clean inside, allowing us to love others, is how the world will know that we are disciples of the living God.

Ponder:

Is there an area of your life where you would like Jesus to shine the light of His love to help clean your inside?

Pray:

Heavenly Father, give me the grace to ask You to help me be clean. Give me the courage to give and fill me with Your compassion so that I can give it to those around me.