Wednesday 12 October

Galatians 5:18-25; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Luke 11:42-46

Mint and Rue

Tithing was meant to offer back to God a tenth of one’s harvest in recognition of it as God’s gift to us. That donation then served as a relief measure for the poor (Deut 14:22-29). How wrong to fuss over tithes of even the smallest herbs while ignoring love of God and justice for those same poor. Graves were whitewashed with lime to prevent people inadvertently walking on them and becoming ‘unclean’. These pharisees and lawyers are like the unmarked graves that pollute those unfortunates who unwittingly come in contact with them.