Choose To Be a Life-giving Person

In the Gospel of today for the 21^st Wed. in Ordinary Time, Mt. 23: 27-32, we again read about Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees, whom Jesus describes as whitened sepulchers, pretty to look at but filthy on the inside. What an indictment!    The “Pharisee” in human nature is that part of us that  is not life-giving to others. It is the part of us that heaps burdens on others, that does not lift a finger to lighten another’s load, that shows no compassion, love, forgiveness; that does not  look for ways to assist the other, for instance, in finding shelter, in improving one’s life, in instilling hope, restoring faith, in becoming more free and in believing in self.

What will I do today, and every day, to help rather than hinder, to encourage rather than frustrate, to lift up rather than tear down, to lighten rather than burden, to instill confidence rather than fear, to bring hope rather than despair.  If I am a person who makes the world a better place, who  brightens rather than darkens  other peoples’  hopes, then I will not hear Jesus say to me:  “You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead…[persons’] bones and every kind of filth.” No, Jesus will say to me: Blessed are you who hear the word of God and observe it (cf  Lk 11:27).