TUESDAY, TWENTY FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Prv 21: 1-6, 10-13 Ps 119: 1, 27, 30, 34, 35, 44 Lk 8: 19-21
GOD SEES THE HEART NOT THE HANDS
Each one of us has a natural tendency toward self-justification. We like to evaluate ourselves by our outward, visible actions, especially our religious deeds. We at times keep a count of the Mass intentions we request, the prayers we recite, the rosaries we pray, or the donations we drop into the collection basket. When we do these things, we often feel a quiet sense of satisfaction. We pat ourselves on the back and think, “I am doing great; God must be very pleased with me.” In the first reading today from the Book of Proverbs, we are met with a quiet, piercing truth. Proverbs tells us: “All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes, but it is the Lord who weighs the heart.”
Human beings look at the hands, but God inspects the heart. We measure religious performance, but God measures inner integrity. This is a reminder for anyone who tries to live a spiritual life. God is never impressed by showy religious rituals when they are used as a mask to cover up unfairness, greed, dishonesty, or a lack of love in our daily relationships. A lavish “sacrifice” offered on an altar means very little to God if the hands offering it were dishonest at work on Monday, or cold, angry, and unfeeling toward a family member on Tuesday. To God, genuine integrity in our daily living must always come before religious ceremony.
We are called to stop using our “religious duties” to excuse bad behaviour. It is remarkably easy to fall into the subtle trap of thinking: “I went to Mass on Sunday, I said my prayers, so it is okay if I gossip about my coworker, act dishonestly in business, or yell at my family.” God does not take bribes. True worship on Sunday must translate into honesty, patience, and fairness on all weekdays. God does not ask us to abandon our sacrifices, our prayers, or our worship. He asks us to ensure that our worship flows from a heart that is clean, honest, and just.
Response: Guide me, Lord, in the path of your commands.
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