Week 28 Thursday – Eph 1:1-10; Ps 97:1-6; Luke 11:47-54

Alas for you lawyers who have taken away the key of knowledge! You have not gone in yourselves, and have prevented others going in who wanted to. Luke 11

Today Jesus addresses harsh words to the Pharisees and scribes. He says that they build tombs for the prophets whom their ancestors killed. They consider the prophets holy, but at the same time they do not listen to their message. They build their religiosity on their foundation, and on the other hand, they are unable to accept the Word of God. Jesus warns against hypocrisy and lack of faithfulness to God’s message. The Pharisees were those who had access to knowledge about God, but their hearts remained closed to the truth.

Today we can also encounter such an attitude. When someone outwardly seems very religious, they care about customs and external signs of piety, but their heart is closed to God. The focus is on “building tombs,” that is, forming external rituals, while the spiritual life is neglected. Each of us receives a specific calling, task, gift in our lives. How do we respond to God’s call in our daily lives? Is our faith authentic? Or are we focusing on custom and form rather than a living relationship with God?