Today's Gospel opens with a furious Jesus accusing the Pharisees of paying their tithes to "look good" rather than acting out of love of God and love for their neighbor.
Jesus is also challenging us to examine why we do what we do! Do we do something just because it is expected of us? Do we want others to think well of us? Or do we choose to do something because it is the "loving" thing to do?
Unexpected Way of God's Presence and Love
I read a story from One Day at a Time (Vol. 3, pp 177-178) by Francis Kong, about a diver and his unforgettable experience. A young man raised as an atheist was training to become an Olympic diver. The only exposure to religion he had was through his outspoken Christian friend. The young diver paid little attention to his friend's sermons, but he often heard them.
One night, that diver went to the indoor pool at his college. The lights were off, but the skylights allowed the moon to provide ample illumination for practicing in the pool.
The young man climbed up to the highest diving board. As he turned his back to the pool and extended his arms, he saw his shadow on the wall. The shadow of his body formed a cross shape, which took him aback. For a moment, he paused and thought. At that moment, he realized something important was happening to him for the first time.
The sight of the shadow of the cross was too powerful for him. He began to review his life, and now, perhaps for the first time, he accepted that it was not peaceful. He wanted a change. It was very strange to have something like this happen right in the middle of an evening under a moonlight sky.
Instead of diving, he knelt and asked Jesus Christ to come into his life. As the young man stood, a maintenance man walked in sensing some movement in the area and turned the lights on. Had he taken his dive, it would have been the end of his life because there was no water. The pool had been drained for repair! God just wouldn't let him go. His love is too strong and more extensive than the young man's unbelief.
What Truly Matters
The Pharisees in today's Gospel miss what is essential. They pay tithes with mathematical accuracy. They are lost in trifles, giving meticulous care to legal details but neglecting what matters most: love of God, which flows out to justice and love of neighbor.
The story of the young diver encountering the shadow of the cross on the diving board is a powerful reminder of how God's presence and love can manifest in unexpected ways, even when someone may not actively seek or recognize it.
Similarly, the Gospel of Luke highlights the importance of examining our motives and actions. It challenges us to consider whether we are merely going through the motions of religious practices or if our actions are genuinely rooted in love for God and our neighbors.
These messages encourage us to reflect on our lives and whether we sometimes prioritize legalistic observance over the more profound call to love mercy, justice, and repentance. In both the story and the Gospel, there is an invitation to self-examination and a call to focus on what truly matters – our relationship with God and our love for others.
Do we choose to do something because it is the "loving" thing to do?
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