Luke 11:38
The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
The other night over dinner I was trying to explain what a mime is to my kids. I said it's sorta a clown who doesn't talk, but gestures things with his hands. I tried to act out climbing a ladder or pulling a rope. I think that's what we do when we put on a show in our faith. We go through the motions to look like we are striving for holiness and following the rules, but then we walk out of church and fall quite short of what Jesus teaches. We surely aren't fooling God with our act. He wants to see real love, not pretend piety that shows people how to do it but doesn't actually have any effect.
In today's gospel, Jesus doesn't care about doing what fits in the rules. Not that he doesn't care about cleanliness, but he doesn't subscribe to the custom that you do it just to be seen and then not live that same cleanliness in your every day.
So are you miming your way through life? Are you actually touching lives through your love and care or just pretending and putting on a show? How can we share real, tangible love in our lives and with our hands today?
