Luke 11:42-46

Lectio (Reading)

Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.

The Lord said:
“Woe to you Pharisees!
You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb,
but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.
These you should have done, without overlooking the others.
Woe to you Pharisees!
You love the seat of honor in synagogues
and greetings in marketplaces.
Woe to you!
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.”

Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply,
“Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.”
And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law!
You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.

Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.

Oratio (Responding)

Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.

As we journey closer and closer to the Lords passion, His encounters with the scribes and pharisees are getting more contentious. In todays passage He is yet again calling them out for being extremely hypocritical. He has given a series of “woes” to these temple leaders, essentially calling them out for saying one thing, but doing another. The Scribes in this particular example are being called out for their hypocrisy over the law. They are so much more concerned with power and stature that they have completely forgotten the purpose of the law. But whats worse is that they use their knowledge of the law to gain power and authority over those that they “serve,” and instead lord it over them.

Lets take for example the 3rd commandment. It says that we must keep holy the lords day. So this means no work, you must spend the day with family, go to church, and use the day for rest and contemplation about God and His will for your life. The scribes for fear of ever transgressing this commandment of God, made law after law, restricting activity on the sabbath, so that there would never be a chance of ever breaking this commandment. But their zealousness, got so out of control that it got to the point that if someone fell down in front of you on the sabbath, that it became a sin to help them get back up.

This is insane and completely misses the point of the commandment. Thus Jesus enlightens them of this fact, that the scribes impose these heavy burdens, and do nothing to help them carry it. The Scribes were more concerned with making sure that the law was followed that they forgot the commandments. Thus the “woe”, Woe means great sorry or distress and this is what awaits those scribes if they do not change their ways. It is the same warning for us, if we do not change our ways and follow the true will and teachings of the lord.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.

Oh lord, please help me to put down my pride and to seek you first, in all things. Help me to love you and trust your will for my life, and to be your hands and feet in the world. Amen.