Monday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 425
Reading 1
2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians
in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters,
as is fitting, because your faith flourishes ever more,
and the love of every one of you for one another grows ever greater.
Accordingly, we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God
regarding your endurance and faith in all your persecutions
and the afflictions you endure.
This is evidence of the just judgment of God,
so that you may be considered worthy of the Kingdom of God
for which you are suffering.
We always pray for you,
that our God may make you worthy of his calling
and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose
and every effort of faith,
that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,
and you in him,
in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 4-5
R. (3) Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.
R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Alleluia
John 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 23:13-22
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and land to make one convert,
and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna
twice as much as yourselves.
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say,
‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’
Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’
You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,
or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;
one who swears by the temple swears by it
and by him who dwells in it;
one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God
and by him who is seated on it.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Unity of Truth and Virtue
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.” Matthew 23:13
Today begins Jesus’ “Woe to you…” condemnations of the scribes and Pharisees. He issues seven subsequent condemnations. The one quoted above is His first. At the time, Jesus’ condemnations of these religious leaders fell mostly on deaf ears. They were obstinate and would not listen to what Jesus had to say. But it’s useful to note that these condemnations appear to actually be spoken about the scribes and Pharisees to the disciples and the crowds to whom Jesus was speaking.
Though there are many lessons we can learn from our Lord, let’s consider the first thing He says. He condemns hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is essentially saying one thing and doing another. It’s a disconnect between what we say and what we do. Hypocrisy can also come in the form of trying to present oneself as if one has every virtue under Heaven but in reality cares little for the clear doctrine and moral precepts given us by God. In the scripture passage, the scribes and Pharisees claimed to be leading people to salvation, but they were condemning the very source of salvation. On one hand, some of what they taught was true, but they failed to teach with the virtue that comes from God. On the other hand, some of what they taught was flat-out erroneous, because they were more concerned about their public persona than they were about the truth. Essentially, they were hypocrites, because their words and actions were neither united in the truth nor lived through the virtues given by God.
These two opposing tendencies seem to be a source of much division within our Church today. On the extreme “right,” we have those who preach doctrine but fail to exercise the necessary virtue so as to be effective instruments of those truths. And on the extreme “left” are those who act as if so-called virtue is all that matters. They deemphasize the clear and unambiguous moral and doctrinal truths that were given to us by our Lord, so that others will praise them for appearing kind, accepting and compassionate toward all. The problem is that one cannot exclude truth from virtue or virtue from truth. Compassion is not compassionate if it lacks truth, and the truth is not true if it is not presented with the virtues by which our Lord wants them brought forth. And though the scribes and Pharisees appear to be more focused upon their interpretations of various truths to the exclusion of virtue, their struggle with hypocrisy is just as real for those on both extremes today.
Reflect, today, upon the importance of embracing each and every moral and doctrinal precept given by our Lord. We must embrace everything He says with every fiber of our being. Reflect, also, upon how you express these teachings of Jesus to others. Do you strive to present the full Gospel with the greatest virtue? The deeper the truth, the more necessary is the virtue with which it is presented. And the more virtue you have, the better instrument of the full truth you will be. Strive to overcome every form of hypocrisy within your life by working toward true holiness. Holiness is wholeness. The Truth united to virtue. Only then will you escape from the condemnation of our Lord, but you will also thrive as a pure instrument of His saving grace.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
WHAT DO I LOVE MORE THAN JESUS?
“How blind you are! Which is more important, the offering or the altar which makes the offering sacred?” —Matthew 23:19
Jesus clearly stated that “No man can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other or be attentive to one and despise the other” (Mt 6:24). To make it absolutely clear what He meant by this, Jesus’ next statement was “You cannot give yourself to God and money.”
The Pharisees “were avaricious men” (Lk 16:14), that is, they had an insatiable love of money. Jesus observed that they also were “fond of places of honor at banquets and the front seats of synagogues, of marks of respect in public and of being called ‘Rabbi’ ” (Mt 23:6-7). Sadly, in pursuing these attractions, they neglected “the love of God” (Lk 11:42). The Pharisees proved the truth of Jesus’ statement that people will love one master, money, and despise the other Master, God (Mt 6:24). Ultimately, the Pharisees despised Jesus so much that they demanded He be crucified. There is no middle ground. A person cannot love both God and mammon, that is, the things of the world.
What about us? Do we love anything more than Jesus? This is a dangerous place to be, for it puts us at risk of despising Jesus. “Have no love for the world, nor the things that the world affords” (1 Jn 2:15). Love God alone (Lk 10:27).
Prayer: Father, give me new eyes and a new heart so that I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus (Heb 12:2).
Promise: Grace and peace be yours from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” —2 Thes 1:2
Praise: Sarah, a quadriplegic, never complains about her situation. She constantly radiates the joy of the Lord at work, on the bus, and whenever people stare at her.
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
Jesus reprimands the Pharisees and the Scribes for their hypocrisy and false claims. Their selective fidelity is condemned by Jesus. They make life difficult for others through innumerable rules and regulations. They are ‘blind guides. In the First Reading Paul rejoices at the thought of the community in Thessalonica because he sees their faith increasing day by the day. Paul was a guide who introduced the community to true faith. Hypocrisy is a great danger, for when one is in it, he / she does not realize the truth.
Prayers
My saving Lord, You desired deeply that the religious leaders of the time be powerful instruments of Your saving Gospel by presenting all truth in pure love. Please free me from every error so that Your holy Word will be alive in me and will be sent forth to others through the manifestation of the many virtues You wish to bestow. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, your word is life for me. May I never shut the door to your heavenly kingdom through my stubborn pride or disbelief. Help me to listen to your voice attentively and to conform my life more fully to your word.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 238: Fidelity in Times of Darkness
Though Saint Faustina and many other great saints entered into a unique spiritual darkness, defined by St. John of the Cross as the “Dark Night of the Soul” and the “Dark Night of the Spirit,” we all will experience a certain “darkness” of one form or another in our walk of faith. Our darkness may not be the result of the extraordinary purification of the soul that takes place on the journey toward perfection, but our response must be the same. No matter what we go through in life, when challenges arise we must speak the words spoken by the great saints, “Thy Will be done!” Holiness is all about doing the Will of God despite any confusion or apparent obstacle in our lives (See Diary #1237).
Reflect upon the level of conviction you pray that prayer, “Thy Will be done!” Do you mean this? Can you say it with all the powers of your mind, will and soul? Have you chosen the Will of God above everything else in life? Embracing the Will of God in times of trial is especially fruitful for a life of faith. When temptations set in, especially temptations toward despair, you must reaffirm your commitment to God’s perfect Will. Reflect upon this holy act today. Say those words and mean them as completely as you can. Nothing in life should ever deter you from making this your daily prayer.
Lord, may Your Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven! I make this my prayer today. I offer it to You with complete confidence and total surrender. I choose You above all things and make Your Will my own. I love You, my Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.
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