Seven Woes on The Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

AUGUST 22, 2022, MONDAY

MEMORIAL OF THE QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (White)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 425

Reading 1

2 Thes 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

Ps 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

Jn 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;

I know them, and they follow me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mt 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."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Jesus condemns the Pharisees for speaking about what is unknown to them; he was referring, of course, to what was in their hearts, not in their knowledgeable minds. There would be much silence if people spoke only about what they knew about! When it comes to faith, many people speak about what is in their heads. The silent work of God in my prayer defies explanation and suggests discretion - but can I give witness to the working of God in my heart? I don’t want to be like the Pharisees when I speak of faith, letting my head do the talking. I consider how God works in the depth of my being.

Hypocrites were originally actors who wore masks. Thus the term came to mean deceptive persons who pretend to be something that they are not, or those who are ostentatious and pretentious. Jesus tries to strip away all the disguises and facades that we employ. He himself had none: he is open, truthful, genuine, which is why the people loved him “for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:29). 

Lord, how do I come across to others: how genuine am I? I speak about loving others, but do my actions correspond? Do I fuss unnecessarily about details, including, perhaps, rubrics? Am I shallow, unfocussed, waiting for something to happen rather than living out the life of grace to the full? Do I fixate on the flaws of others and de-energise those who are trying their best?

PRAYER:

I pray for the community with which I worship; may we never confuse the beautiful things we have or do with their source, but may we grown together in humble service of God.

Seven Woes On The Teachers Of The Law And The Pharisees

August 23, 2021, Monday
FEAST OF SAINT ROSE OF LIMA, VIRGIN (White)
(Secondary Patroness of the Philippines)
Monday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 425

Reading I
1 Thes 1:1-5, 8b-10

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians
in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
grace to you and peace.
We give thanks to God always for all of you,
remembering you in our prayers,
unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love
and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ,
before our God and Father,
knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen.
For our Gospel did not come to you in word alone,
but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.
You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake. 
In every place your faith in God has gone forth,
so that we have no need to say anything.
For they themselves openly declare about us
what sort of reception we had among you,
and how you turned to God from idols
to serve the living and true God and to await his Son from heaven,
whom he raised from the dead, Jesus,
who delivers us from the coming wrath.

Responsorial Psalm
149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

R.    (see 4a)  The Lord takes delight in his people.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Sing to the LORD a new song
    of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
    let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.

R.    The Lord takes delight in his people.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
    let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
    and he adorns the lowly with victory.

R.    The Lord takes delight in his people.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Let the faithful exult in glory;
    let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
    This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.

R.    The Lord takes delight in his people.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Mt 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:

Hypocrites were originally actors who wore masks. Thus the term came to mean deceptive persons who pretend to be something that they are not, or those who are ostentatious and pretentious. Jesus tries to strip away all the disguises and facades that we employ. He himself had none: he is open, truthful, genuine, which is why the people loved him “for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:29).

Lord, how do I come across to others: how genuine am I? I speak about loving others, but do my actions correspond? Do I fuss unnecessarily about details, including, perhaps, rubrics? Am I shallow, unfocused, waiting for something to happen rather than living out the life of grace to the full? Do I fixate on the flaws of others and de-energize those who are trying their best?

PRAYER:

Lord, reveal to me my hidden faults and heal me. Amen.