Luke 11:37-41 “in a snailshell”
Tuesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
©️2021 Gloria M. Chang
Purity of heart involves cleansing the inner self through heartfelt almsgiving, not just performing superficial rituals.
Luke 11:37-41 (ESV)
While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.
Ceremonial Handwashing
While Jesus exhorts his listeners to cleanse the eye of the heart (Luke 11:34), a Pharisee invites him to dine with him. As if to drive home his point concerning interior purity, he dispenses with the ceremonial handwashing ritual before the meal, shocking the host. The Pharisees observed these external rituals meticulously but paid no heed to their interior being.
Purity of Heart
Jesus castigates the Pharisees for their superficial ceremonies that cleanse no deeper than the outside of a cup and dish, leaving the interior full of darkness and vice. Like their scrubbed saucers, hypocrites appear virtuous on the outside, but their hearts reek of malice and greed. Jesus prescribes almsgiving from the heart as a cleansing remedy.
Luke 11:41 (NET)
But give from your heart to those in need, and then everything will be clean for you.
Hey, wazzup?
A clean cup!
Purity is within.
Traditional Chinese Translation
《嗨！怎麼啦？》
嗨，哇塞？
一個乾淨的杯子！
裡面是純淨的。
Dear GMC, in this reflection, the Snails’ voices break through to me as Mary’s voice today, especially the words, “purity is within.” It was startling to read and “hear.” An authentic and contemporary experience! Thank you, 🐌
Thank you, fdan! May the Magnificat of Mary fill your heart, mind, soul and spirit!
Mary and Mercy go together, as in the Divine Mercy Chaplet prayed on the Hail Mary beads:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Create in me
A clean heart
To honor thee
Lord of life.
Not just my hands,
Or my feet or head.
Enter my inner being
Make me Holy Spirit led.
Thank you for your prayerful poem, Liz!
From the inside out
Create in me, Lord,
Your steadfast Spirit,
Between my heart tiles,
Spread your holy grout.
May the Lord bless you, Ellen!
Generous grace gave me a clean heart.
Bowing before God’s mercy,
I follow Christ,
Lifting one foot at a time,
Gaited by grace, paced peaceably.
May you be blessed in your walk with the Lord!
Cup cleaning reminds me nightly washing of dishes, utensils, and pots and pans when I was young. My father was our dishwasher, and I would be the one to dry. It was a together time during a short but meaningful task. We gave my mother a respite from kitchen duty. Our inner motives came from the heart.
How often my intentions are sourced from duty rather than love. Jesus, humble of heart, make my heart like yours.
Amen! Thank you for sharing your beautiful recollections, Ellen.