Problematic Veneers

Tuesday of Week 28 in Ordinary Time

Galatians 5:1-6

Luke 11:37-41

 

Between yesterday and today was Luke’s bit about being disciples of light.  Don’t hide the light under a bushel basket.  Steward it well so that others may be blessed by it.  And be careful not to let it get smothered by creeping darkness.  Pay attention!  Aim to be filled up with light.

Today Jesus goes on to describe what having only a veneer of light is like.  It sees only from veneer to veneer, outside to outside.  So ritual washing (resist thinking about hygiene;) of hands, or lack thereof, becomes central.  Jesus is drawing attention to what he sees as over-scrupulosity which feeds wrong-headed and wrong-hearted judgment. 

It's not that the outside isn’t important.  Rather, Jesus is clarifying what is primary.  When our light-infused hearts reach out in acts of love of neighbor there is no need to worry about the outside…it will radiate that same light and love.

Luke is writing to his community and through them to me.  The ideal disciple is the integrated disciple.  Outsides…the concern for outsides…is seductive.  Making outsides primary only takes a bit of inattention on my part.

Integration is hard to hold.

For in Christ Jesus,

neither circumcision nor uncircumcision

counts for anything,

only faith working through love.   Galatians 5:6