The Holy Martyrs Acindynus, Pegasius, Aphtonius, Elpidephorus, and Anempodistus
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 11:34-41
Read Luke 11:34-41
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness.
Christ tells us to make sure the light inside us is not darkness. Sometimes when we do a seemingly “good” deed, we may have bad intentions or reasons for performing the action that are not rooted in love. Consider this quote from St. John Chrysostom’s Homily 8 on the First Epistle of John, 9:
“Charity feeds the hungry, and so does pride: charity, that God may be praised; pride, that itself may be praised. Charity clothes the naked, so does pride: charity fasts, so does pride: charity buries the dead, so does pride. All good works which charity wishes to do, and does; pride, on the other hand, drives at the same . . . The works we see: mercy feeds, pride also feeds; mercy takes in the stranger, pride also takes in the stranger; mercy intercedes for the poor, pride also intercedes. How is this? In the works we see no difference. . . . Do not consider what blossoms outwardly, but what root there is in the ground.”
In today’s Gospel reading, the pharisee was concerned that Jesus did not wash before dinner, but Jesus used this encounter as an opportunity to teach that external appearances are not the most important thing. He wants us to be focused on our inward cleanliness. The pharisees “clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside [they] are full of greed and wickedness” (Luke 11:39). When we do apparently “good” deeds that are not motivated by charity and mercy, then we become like the pharisees who clean the outside of the cup while the inside remains filthy. The pharisees might have seemed to be doing good deeds and conducting themselves righteously, but their internal disposition was one motivated by greed and wickedness. If they checked, they would have noticed that the light inside them was actually darkness. Let us pay attention to what motivates our actions.
If we do “good” deeds because we are motivated by pride, receiving the esteem of others, or anything short of the glory of God, then the goodness, the “light,” of our deeds is revealed to be darkness. If we have this darkness in us influencing our actions, then our actions fail to be virtuous. When Jesus was called “Good Teacher,” He clarified that “No one is good but God alone” (Luke 18:18-19). Anything “good” or “righteous” that we might do originates in God Who created us and loves us. If a seemingly “good” action we do is inspired by one of our vices, then its origin is in darkness and not in God. Let us be careful to make sure that our actions are done for good and noble purposes unto the glory of God.