In today’s Gospel proclamation we read about the Lord Jesus blasting the Pharisees after he was criticized for not observing “the prescribed washing before the meal.” Jesus described them as unmarked graves. Over the centuries before Christ and specially after the era of Moses, the Religious leaders had drawn up more than 700 laws, rules and regulations which they expected the people to observe but as Jesus said, most of them were hypocrites and did not do what they told the ordinary people to do. Instead, as Jesus said they loved “the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces.” While reflecting on the Lord’s condemnation of the Pharisees and their hypocrisy we also need to search our conscience and see when we have acted like hypocrites. When we read the Word of God in its proper
context and do not observe it we are guilty of the sin of self-deception. We need to remember that the words in the Bible are powerful when we put into practice. As we live in love, God will reveal his love to everyone around us.

Abba Father, freely as we receive your ending love and mercy, may we freely give it to others. Amen.