To browse more spiritual readings, please go to: http://www.webprayze.com

If the heart is full of love and compassion, then there is no room for envy, greed, bitterness, and the like.  Do you allow God's love to transform your heart and mind?

Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

Galatians 5:1-6

Psalm 119:41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48

L uke 11:37-41  While he 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 inside also? (41) But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you.

Meditation by Don Schwager

Is the Lord welcomed at your table and are you ready to feast at his table? A Pharisee, after hearing Jesus preach, invited him to dinner, no doubt, because he wanted to hear more from this extraordinary man who spoke the word of God as no one else had done before. It was not unusual for a rabbi to give a teaching over dinner. Jesus, however, did something which offended his host. He did not perform the ceremonial washing of hands before beginning the meal. Did Jesus forget or was he deliberately performing a sign to reveal something to his host? Jesus turned the table on his host by chiding him for uncleanness of heart.

Which is more important to God – clean hands or a clean mind and heart? Jesus chided the Pharisees for harboring evil thoughts that make us unclean spiritually – such as greed, pride, bitterness, envy, arrogance, and the like.

Why does he urge them, and us, to give alms? When we give freely and generously to those in need we express love, compassion, kindness, and mercy. And if the heart is full of love and compassion, then there is no room for envy, greed, bitterness, and the like.  Do you allow God's love to transform your heart and mind?

"Lord Jesus, fill me with your love and increase my thirst for holiness. Cleanse my heart of every evil thought and desire and help me to act kindly and justly and to speak charitably with my neighbor."

Supplementary Reading

Rags to Riches

...Love your neighbor as yourself. – Luke 10:27b (NIV)

W ith the title I gave it, I bet you thought this devotion would be about financial help, didn't you? I hope I don't disappoint you, but this is about the riches of friendship as opposed to the rags of loneliness – a far more-valuable concept than money in a bank account.

Have you ever stood in the line at the grocery store and read the headlines of a tabloid magazine, or "rag," as they are called? Gossip for sale! Come and read all about it. What's the intrigue? Why do so many people love juicy gossip?

Well, we all feel better about ourselves, when we read or hear about someone else's problems. The more someone else's esteem is lowered - the more ours is elevated. We feel better about ourselves at the expense of someone else's failure.

What kind of news will you spread today? Gossip or good news? People want to be friends with people who speak well of others. People want to be friends with people they know do not gossip. People want to be friends with people who share good news. The Bible is full of good news!

If you focus on sharing the good news versus gossip, don't be surprised if you find you have gone from rags to the riches of good friends – for life.

Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have spread gossip – even told tales about people I love. Increase my self-esteem to the point where I am more interested in building others up rather than myself. Remind me how You love me and forgive me and, in the process, help me to be a bearer of good news – that You love us enough to give Your life for us. Amen.

GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.

For past gospel meditations or to browse spiritual readings, you may visit the following:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes

http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com

http://www.webprayze.com