The Lord our God loves us with an inexhaustible love and we know this to be true, by the countless times He has outpoured His mercy and grace upon us and filled us with His peace. Should we then love Him any less?Are we making every effort to attend Holy Eucharist given the current constraints to worship, adore and receive Him sacramentally? Are we giving what we can to help with the care of His Holy Church or are we withholding it as our ‘right’ to do so.
Do we take shortcuts in our service of His church by citing practical reasons for these times? Are we actively reaching out to those suffering from the effects of the pandemic especially the poor and the aged? Or are we safeguarding our own interests? Are we who call ourselves Christian, the new ‘scribes’ and ‘Pharisees’ in today’s Gospel?
Lord Jesus, let me love others the way You love me. Let my eyes and ears be opened to those in need. Grant me the courage and grace to place them above self. Amen
First reading
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3,14-17 ·
Stand firm and keep the traditions we have taught youTo turn, brothers, to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him: please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived. Never let anyone deceive you in this way.
Through the Good News that we brought God called you to this so that you should share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Stand firm, then, brothers, and keep the traditions that we taught you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who has given us his love and, through his grace, such inexhaustible comfort and such sure hope, comfort you and strengthen you in everything good that you do or say.
Gospel
Matthew 23:23-26
Clean the inside of the cup first, so that the outside may become cleanJesus said: ‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who pay your tithe of mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law – justice, mercy, good faith! These you should have practised, without neglecting the others. You blind guides! Straining out gnats and swallowing camels!
‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who clean the outside of cup and dish and leave the inside full of extortion and intemperance. Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside of cup and dish first so that the outside may become clean as well.’
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