There is no charge as a charge.

Jesus said, “Woe to you! For you, are building memorials to the prophets killed by your fathers! You are witnessing and approving your fathers’ deeds because they killed them, and you are building monuments to them. Therefore, also the wisdom of God said, I will send unto them prophets and apostles, and they shall slay some of them, and persecute others. This generation will be responsible for the blood of all the prophets shed from the creation of the world, from Abel’s blood to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say unto you, This generation shall answer. Woe unto you, scribes, for ye have taken away the key of knowledge! And when ye went as far as the herd, the scribes and the Pharisees began to come against him, and inquired of him abundantly, and laid wait for him, that they might catch him in his mouth.

The same thing can serve us, but it can also be to our detriment. The decisive factor is whether we need it and whether we accept it. The drug can be harmful, but it can also help. A reminder, which is made with feeling and tact, can also be a cure. The accusation can also bring harm if one does not accept it as it should. Notice the admonition of the Pharisees by Jesus: “Well, Woe to you, Pharisees, for you give tithes of mint, rue, and every vegetable, but you circumvent justice and the Love of God! This was to be done and not neglected their “(Luke 11:42). These were harsh words of the Lord Jesus against godly and educated theologians, scholars of the Law. That they considered themselves perfect, and that they made their conduct known: they sat in the synagogues in the first place, and received greetings in the streets, and were confessed, being teachers. And men do not even know what they are after “(Luke 11:44).

Devotion is not just giving tithes when they have something when it’s from excess when it costs them nothing. Faith is a matter of Love, which must come from within man, from his conviction, and it must serve to glorify God, not to promote the giver. Where there is Love, there is no talk of egoism, selfishness, pride. Love does not offend but encourages. Pride does evil. Love knows no bounds. She is selfless, as Paul says in the Letter to the Corinthians: “Love is patient, Love is benevolent; he does not envy, he does not turn off, he does not appear, he is not shameful, he is not selfish, he is not angry, he does not think of evil, he does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth “(1 Cor 13: 4-6). And it can have nothing to do with the behavior of the Pharisees.

The gospel text is a lesson for us to make Love for ourselves; although it is sometimes difficult and requires effort and sacrifice, it is also enrichment. On the other hand, the pride and arrogance of the Pharisees are killing. Christ, our teacher, clearly teaches us that we must not cultivate in ourselves pretense; that is, we must not have other behaviors outside and others in ourselves. When we feel that this also applies to us, it is a sign, to begin with, a sincere change in our lives’ attitudes. We realize that even if we spoke outwardly and acted as well, nicely, and deservedly, it would not coincide with Love that comes from conviction; it would all be just like a chirping metal and a ringing bell.

It’s beautiful when Love is manifested not only in words but in deeds. After all, the Lord Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Mt 7:21).