Faith Daily | 11 October 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p591

Almighty God,

in your wisdom you have so ordered our earthly life

that we must walk by faith and not by sight:

give us such trust in your fatherly care

that in the face of all perplexities

we may give proof of our faith by the courage of our lives;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Luke 11: 37- 41

37 While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table. 38The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39Then 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. 40You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Alan Dann

Well, what are Pharisees?

A well known source tells me: ” Pharisees were members of a party that believed in resurrection and in following legal traditions that were ascribed not to the Bible but to “the traditions of the fathers.” Like the scribes, they were also well-known legal experts: hence the partial overlap of membership of the two groups.”

Think of it – Jesus; dusty from the day’s activities, hot and sweaty and just finished addressing a crowd in the street being asked by a Pharisee to have a meal with him. The Pharisee considered a cut above the rest, asking Jesus why he did not wash before dinner? Seems to be a reasonable question with an element of entrapment.

What did Jesus do? Hurled a comment straight back in the form of an insult. You Pharasees may be clen on the outside but inside you are greed and wickedness. What a way to get offside with your host! He then offers advice but I think it’s too late.

His insult has cut deep!. No doubt the Pharisees were collecting an archive of the sayings of Jesus for later use.

FINAL PRAYER (psalm 51 10 -12)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Amen.