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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!” Luke 11:37–40
It’s hard to imagine Jesus calling someone a fool. But that’s
exactly what He did. This Pharisee had just finished listening to
Jesus give a series of teachings and then invited our Lord to His
home for dinner in an apparent gesture of kindness. But as the
passage unfolds, it’s clear that this Pharisee is no friend of
Jesus. Instead, his hospitality and kindness are a cloak for the
evil within his soul.
Why does Jesus respond so fiercely, calling the Pharisee a fool?
Because this Pharisee is filled with hypocrisy. His exterior
actions do not flow from a heart filled with charity and faith.
Instead, his exterior actions are a show. He is a fraud. He, like
many of the Pharisees, was very concerned with various external
rituals, such as scrupulously washing his hands before he ate. He
believed that doing so was a sign of his holiness and closeness to
God. But it wasn’t. His heart was one that was filled with judgment
and self-righteousness. He looked down on others and elevated
himself. In doing so, he deceived others and even deceived
himself.
The central message we must take from this is that we must
diligently focus upon that which is in our hearts. Our hearts, our
interior life, must be blooming with love of God and others. We
must place all of our efforts on cultivating a sincere life of
virtue within. This is done by prayer and humility. Humility will
open our eyes to see the truth of who we are. Prayer will
strengthen us to change as we see that which needs to be changed
within. Only then, when we see clearly the truth of who we are and
prayerfully rely upon grace obtained by prayer, will we be able to
become people of true integrity and holiness. And only then will
our interior holiness be made manifest externally in our
actions.
Reflect, today, upon these powerful words of Jesus: “You fools!”
Don’t be offended by these words; they are words of love from our
Lord. They are His fierce attempt to wake this Pharisee up and lead
him away from his hypocrisy. Listen to these words as if they were
also spoken to you. Every one of us can humbly benefit from this
loving chastisement from Jesus. Every one of us needs to humbly be
transformed more fully interiorly. Let Jesus’ words speak to you
and reveal to you the ways that you need to change. Perhaps your
pride has led you to an interior practice of judgment of others.
Perhaps it has blinded you to sins that you need to confess. If you
can listen to these words as if they were spoken to you, then
Jesus’ fervor will reach you, and your eyes will be opened to that
which is in your soul that needs to be changed. Do not turn a blind
eye to this. Be open, be humble and listen.
My fervent Lord, You spoke words of love in many ways. At times
You were gentle and at times You were firm. Please give me the
grace and humility I need to be open to Your firm rebukes of love.
Help me to sincerely see the ways in which I need to change my life
so that Your grace will transform my interior life, flowing over
into my actions. I love You, dear Lord. Help me to love You more.
Jesus, I trust in You.
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Featured image above: Christ in the House of Simon the
Pharisee By Luca Signorelli, via Wikimedia Commons
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