The Gospel for The memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, is taken from Luke 11:37 to the 41st verse. After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal. The Lord said to him, o you Pharisees, although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish inside, you are filled with plunder and evil, you fools.

Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms and behold, everything will be clean for you. Jesus is pointing out something very important about the question of authenticity. You can act in any way you want, and it may not be connected to who you are, but who you are will always impact how you act. So what Jesus is pointing out, and it’s a very important thing, is what is going on on the inside, what is going on inside of you when it comes to understanding who you are and why you’re here, that’s the real work on the inside, and the outside takes care of itself. Take a moment to reflect upon these images, and I will end with a closing prayer.

Sam Satan Satan Satan Sa Sam Satan Closing prayer Father, it’s obvious that you want us to have a heart filled with you, with divinity. This is a gift. It’s not something that we can find on our own, but it’s something we’ve received. So open us to the wisdom that God has placed within us. Pay attention to its beauty and its power to save, and choose to be authentic. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.