Today’s Scripture Readings

Gospel Reading

NRSV

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practised without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel! ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenges the Pharisees about the way they are living their lives. They are careful about observing the details of the law and believe that what they are doing is right, yet Jesus tells them they have neglected what really matters: justice, mercy and faithfulness. He challenges their superficial observance and asks them to consider what is happening within.

This reminder also invites us to consider our own lives. Are we sometimes more concerned with appearing to do the right thing than with acting from a deeper sense of purpose? Jesus asks us to look beyond our outward actions and examine what is happening within us.

Our self-examination might ask: What are we thinking? What are we saying to ourselves? What conversations are we rehearsing in our minds? What judgements are we making about others?

Jesus tells us to “first clean the inside of the cup,” the place where real conversion begins.

We cannot always control the thoughts that first enter our minds, particularly when we are hurt, disappointed or frustrated. But we can become aware of what we continue to dwell on and choose to rehearse different, more life-giving responses. If we repeatedly imagine an argument, justify resentment, or focus on another person’s faults, these thoughts can gradually shape the way we respond.

Prayer and reflection give us the space to ask: Is this thought leading me towards mercy, love and kindness, or away from them? Cleaning ourselves from the inside out means allowing God to transform not only what we do, but also how we think and respond.

What are we rehearsing in our minds today that we can let go?