Yesterday, in speaking about elevating the Bible as a source of wisdom, truth and love, I noted Bible belters. I also, in a somewhat derogatory manner, refer to many as Bible Thumpers. These are people that can routinely quote chapter and verse of scripture for almost any occasion to support their cause, agenda and way of life. Scriptures are used as weapons more than for evangelizing. Often, that way of life is like the Pharisees in today's passage from Luke. The appearances and cleanliness of the words on the outside, but not so clean on the inside. Anyone after all can quote scripture from rote, compile a list of cherry picked passages to support their cause and neglect the heart of the matter, loving one's neighbor and living a life worthy of the life that was sacrificed for them.
I can think of the beautiful people that dress finely, are concerned with good looks and can quote scripture until the cows come home but never would you find them acting in such finery as to get their clothes dirtied or creased by the hard ardent labours of love.
How often have we read the story of a holy man ( or woman ) who is found to be a profound sinner? Drug addict, pedophile, adulterer. Wasn't it just last month ago that a televangelist proclaimed he needed more money for yet a fourth jet so he could carry the good news further than his measly old smaller jets could go? Finery is acceptable, the pomp and circumstance of religions is not an evil unto itself. What is wrong for anyone is to have a hollowness that makes the outside seem holy while the inside is empty or rotten.
Just like no one knows from smiling faces what hidden burdens each of us carry, so too there is no one that can judge what emptiness is inside while the outside lusters. Except that is, God and yourself. Can we, do we, take time to affirm our personal faith? Do we perform our own scan to make sure we measure up with what we profess outwardly? Appearances will not get you into heaven. We need to be sure that we are spic and span, inside as well as out.
How often have we read the story of a holy man ( or woman ) who is found to be a profound sinner? Drug addict, pedophile, adulterer. Wasn't it just last month ago that a televangelist proclaimed he needed more money for yet a fourth jet so he could carry the good news further than his measly old smaller jets could go? Finery is acceptable, the pomp and circumstance of religions is not an evil unto itself. What is wrong for anyone is to have a hollowness that makes the outside seem holy while the inside is empty or rotten.
Just like no one knows from smiling faces what hidden burdens each of us carry, so too there is no one that can judge what emptiness is inside while the outside lusters. Except that is, God and yourself. Can we, do we, take time to affirm our personal faith? Do we perform our own scan to make sure we measure up with what we profess outwardly? Appearances will not get you into heaven. We need to be sure that we are spic and span, inside as well as out.
Luke 11:37-52
While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you.
‘But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practised, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honour in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the market-places. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.’
One of the lawyers answered him, ‘Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too.’ And he said, ‘Woe also to you lawyers! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, “I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute”, so that this generation may be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.’
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