We are quick with judgment. We judge others by the way they look, the way they speak, the way they behave. But judging others, or better -- perceiving them in certain way, is not always a bad thing; it is very natural. If you hear someone speaking with an accent, you probably wonder where that person came from. Or if you see a family in church on Sunday dressed very nicely, sitting in the front pew, you may wonder what the special celebration for them is. Some people kneel to receive Holy Communion, some stand, some receive on the tongue and some on the palm of their hands, and all this makes us also perceive people in a certain way. My point is that we humans are so limited that at times we can only perceive others by their external appearance, which can be very inaccurate. That’s how that Pharisee from the Gospel today quickly judged Jesus. Jesus “did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.” Jesus used that opportunity to teach us a very important lesson -- “The Lord said to him, "Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools!” For God, it is not about our external appearance, it is about what is inside of us, what intention we have. Others will not see that, but God does. “But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
