Tuesday of week 28 in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Luke 11:37-41
In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenges the Pharisee who is surprised that He does not perform the customary washing before the meal. Jesus responds by drawing attention to something far more important: “You Pharisees clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness.” His words reveal a fundamental truth of discipleship: what is essential is that our interior life be pure before God. We often dedicate considerable attention to what others can see—our behaviour, reputation, achievements, religious observances, and the impression we make. These external expressions have their value, but they cannot replace the purity of the heart. God sees beyond appearances. He knows the intentions behind our actions, the desires that motivate our choices, and the thoughts we cultivate when no one is watching. Jesus is not asking us to neglect what is external, but to ensure that our outward goodness flows from an inward transformation. True holiness is not the art of appearing good, but the grace of becoming good from within. This is why Jesus concludes with an invitation to generosity: “Give alms from what you have, and then indeed everything will be clean for you.” A pure heart is not simply one that avoids evil; it is a heart increasingly freed from selfishness and opened to love. Generosity becomes a sign of interior purification because it transforms our relationship with possessions, with others, and with ourselves. The message of Christ reminds us that the deepest conversion takes place in that hidden sanctuary where only God sees us. When our intentions become sincere, our desires generous, and our love authentic, our external actions naturally begin to reflect the beauty of a heart transformed by grace. The purity God desires is not merely a clean appearance before others, but a heart in which His love can dwell without obstacles. Let’s reflect: Am I more concerned about how my life appears to others, or am I sincerely allowing God to purify my thoughts, intentions, desires, and motivations so that my outward actions become the expression of a truly pure heart?
Don Giorgio