Gospel: Luke 11:37-41

 

The Lord has told that the first commandment is to adore God, to love God. The second is to love our neighbour as ourselves. The liturgy today speaks about two vices that oppose them … idolatry and hypocrisy. 

 

St Paul doesn't mince words when he describes the sin of idolatry. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety, for idolatry is a form of impiety. What is lacking is the sense we all have within us to adore God ... we all need to adore, because we have God's very imprint within us and when we do not adore God, we adore creatures. 

 

Lest we think idolatry to be a thing of the past but today too, the streets are lined with idols. We all have an idol hidden within us. We might ask ourselves before God: ‘what is my hidden idol, what occupies the Lord's place in my heart?’. If we do not adore God, we adore idols! We all must ask ourselves: “what is my idol?”

 

The man who invited Jesus to dine with him was scandalized that he did not wash his hands, Jesus does not mince words with hypocrites: “You Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish…”. What does Jesus’ counsel? Give alms for those things which are within; and behold, everything will be clean in us.

 

This is the way of the Lord: to adore God, to love God above everything and to love one's neighbour as oneself. It is so simple and yet so difficult. It is only possible with grace. Let us ask, then, for this grace.