28th Week in Ordinary Time (B) : Friday 15th October 2021

In the Gospel passage from Luke, after scathing criticism of the Pharisees in the previous verses, we read that Jesus turns his attention to his disciples. Perhaps they were expecting praise and encouragement, but what they receive is a word of admonishment, “don’t be misled by the double standards of the Pharisees”, something they have certainly heard before.

“Be careful who you follow…. the Pharisees may look fine in their robes, maybe eloquent in speech, knowledgeable of the law, and seem to be all about the things of God, but appearances can be deceiving.”

The disciples may have been puzzled; they were still learning about the One that Jesus knew so intimately. They may have wondered to each other, “What has he got against the Pharisees? Aren’t they dedicated religious, our spiritual leaders?”

Maybe I need to be more careful about what I label as “good” or “holy” and be more discerning about the qualities I admire in spiritual leaders. Maybe I need to reflect on my actions’ impact have on others.

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Theresa, a sixteenth-century Spanish Carmelite contemplative. She wrote important works on spirituality and mysticism. In 1970, Pope Paul VI declared her a Doctor of the Church because of the importance of her teachings. She is a reminder to us of the important role of prayer in the life of the Church.

Lord grant us a truly contemplative spirit in this world when our attention is drawn away from God.