August 23, 2005

Mt 23:23-26
Jesus said: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean."
There is a way to follow God that means the heart and inner soul is clean. The other observations of the laws of religion about exterior matters are meaningless without the proper inner attitude and observance. Mercy towards our fellow humankind and faithfulness to God are called for. Without love of God and love of others all is empty and false. I pray that I can carry the feeling of love to others throughout the day today in all that I do.