Does your outside match your inside? Actions, as they say, speak far louder than words. We reveal so much more of ourselves by our behavior than from what we say. However, even if we sometimes fool the world, we can never hide the truth from God. No wonder today’s Gospel calling out the Pharisees is paired with Psalm 139, particularly the responsorial refrain, “You have searched me and you know me, Lord.” God’s knowledge of us goes so far beyond searching, for He has created us. He knows every hair on our heads, our comings in our goings, and our inner beings. What good does it do us to even attempt to hide from God? What objective do we hope to accomplish? If we believe in Him, should not our whole being become a symphony of pleasing Him? Every moment in harmony with the life of grace and holiness His love calls us to? Through sin and temptation, we can fail, we can fall, we can even attempt to evade, but regardless of what we do, because of what He did, we are never lost. Even if we become unwittingly whitewashed tombs, God is there to rescue our souls with the vivid color of His grace. On the outside, a perfectly crafted faithful avatar to show the world, but inside we rail against many of God’s teachings. “Hypocrites,” Jesus calls the Pharisees. Looking at your life, do these harsh words apply to who we have allowed ourselves to be? Do our Christian insides match our outsides? You search me, and you know me, Lord. You know there are days I struggle to attend Mass or even to pray. You know, my battle with gossip and judging, and all the sins I continually bring to my Confessor. You know I doubt, fear, and forget some days to bring these weaknesses to you in prayer—perhaps even bordering on despair in my wrestling with the world or my current circumstances. Alleluia. You loving God, never leave me without hope. “Whoever keeps the word of Christ, the love of God is truly perfected in him” (1 John 2:5). May you find more of you and less of me the next time you search me, God. May my insides match more closely the outside, especially that image of me who longs to love and live like you. Contact the author
Allison Gingras works for WINE: Women In the New Evangelization as National WINE Steward of the Virtual Vineyard. She is a Social Media Consultant for the Diocese of Fall River and CatholicMom.com. She is a writer, speaker, and podcaster, who founded ReconciledToYou.com and developed the Stay Connected Journals for Catholic Women (OSV).
Feature Image Credit: ANGEL, https://www.cathopic.com/photo/898-claustro
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
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