From: Luke 11:37-41

The Hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees

[37] While He (Jesus) was speaking, a Pharisee asked Him to dine with Him; so
He went in and sat at table. [38] The Pharisee was astonished to see that He did
not first wash before dinner. [39] And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees
cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of extortion
and wickedness. [40] You fools! Did not He who made the outside make the in-
side also? [41] But give for alms those things which are within; and behold every-
thing is clean for you.”

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Commentary:

39-52. In this passage (one of the most severe in the Gospel) Jesus determinedly
unmasks the vice which was largely responsible for official Judaism’s rejection of
His teaching — hypocrisy cloaked in legalism. There are many people, who under
the guise of doing good, keeping the mere letter of the law, fail to keep its spirit;
they close themselves to the love of God and neighbor; they harden their hearts
and, though apparently very upright, turn others away from fervent pursuit of God
— making virtue distasteful. Jesus’ criticism is vehement because they are worse
than open enemies: against open enemies one can defend oneself, but these en-
emies are almost impossible to deal with. The scribes and Pharisees were bloc-
king the way of those who wanted to follow Jesus: they were the most formidable
obstacle to the Gospel. Our Lord’s invective against the scribes and Pharisees is
reported even more fully in chapter 23 of St. Matthew. See the note on Matthew
23:1-39.

[The note on Matthew 23:1-39 states:

1-39. Throughout this chapter Jesus severely criticizes the scribes and Phari-
sees and demonstrates the sorrow and compassion He feels towards the ordina-
ry mass of the people, who have been ill-used, “harassed and helpless, like sheep
without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). His address may be divided into three parts:
in the first (verses 1-12) He identifies their principal vices and corrupt practices;
in the second (verses 13-36) He confronts them and speaks His famous “woes”,
which in effect are the reverse of the Beatitudes He preached in Chapter 5: no
one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven — no one can escape condemnation to the
flames — unless he changes his attitude and behavior; in the third part (verses 37-
39) He weeps over Jerusalem, so grieved is He by the evils into which the blind
pride and hardheartedness of the scribes and Pharisees have misled the people.]

40-41. It is not easy to work out what these verses mean. Probably our Lord is
using the idea of cleaning the inside and outside of dishes to teach that a per-
son’s heart is much more important than what appears on the surface — whereas
the Pharisees got it the wrong way round, as so many people tend to do. Jesus
is warning us not to be so concerned about “the outside” but rather give impor-
tance to “the inside”. Applying this to the case of alms: we have to be generous
with those things we are inclined to hoard; in other words, it is not enough just to
give a little money (that could be a purely formal, external gesture); love is what
we have to give others — love and understanding, refinement, respect for their free-
dom, deep concern for their spiritual and material welfare; this is something we
cannot do unless our interior dispositions are right.

In an address to young people, Bl. John Paul II explained what almsgiving really
meant: “The Greek word for alms, “eleemosyne”, comes from “eleos”, meaning
compassion and mercy. Various circumstances have combined to change this
meaning so that almsgiving is often regarded as a cold act, with no love in it. But
almsgiving in the proper sense means realizing the needs of others and letting
them share in one’s own goods. Who would say that there will not always be
others who need help, especially spiritual help, support, consolation, fraternity,
love? The world is always very poor, as far as love is concerned” (28 March
1979).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Red.

First reading	Romans 1:16-25 ©

I am not ashamed of the Good News: it is the power of God saving all who have faith – Jews first, but Greeks as well – since this is what reveals the justice of God to us: it shows how faith leads to faith, or as scripture says: The upright man finds life through faith.

The anger of God is being revealed from heaven against all the impiety and depravity of men who keep truth imprisoned in their wickedness. For what can be known about God is perfectly plain to them since God himself has made it plain. Ever since God created the world his everlasting power and deity – however invisible – have been there for the mind to see in the things he has made. That is why such people are without excuse: they knew God and yet refused to honour him as God or to thank him; instead, they made nonsense out of logic and their empty minds were darkened. The more they called themselves philosophers, the more stupid they grew, until they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for a worthless imitation, for the image of mortal man, of birds, of quadrupeds and reptiles. That is why God left them to their filthy enjoyments and the practices with which they dishonour their own bodies, since they have given up divine truth for a lie and have worshipped and served creatures instead of the creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen!

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 18(19):2-5 ©

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God,

and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.

Day unto day takes up the story

and night unto night makes known the message.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

No speech, no word, no voice is heard

yet their span extends through all the earth,

their words to the utmost bounds of the world.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

Gospel Acclamation	Ps118:135

Alleluia, alleluia!

Let your face shine on your servant,

and teach me your decrees.

Alleluia!

Or	Heb4:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The word of God is something alive and active:

it can judge secret emotions and thoughts.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Luke 11:37-41 ©

Jesus had just finished speaking when a Pharisee invited him to dine at his house. He went in and sat down at the table. The Pharisee saw this and was surprised that he had not first washed before the meal. But the Lord said to him, ‘Oh, you Pharisees! You clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness. Fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside too? Instead, give alms from what you have and then indeed everything will be clean for you.’