Gospel: August 28, 2024

(Wednesday)

21st Week in Ordinary Time

Psalter: Week 1 / (White)

St. Augustine, bishop & doctor

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 128: 1-2, 4-5

Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways.

1st Reading: 2 Thessalonians 3: 6-10, 16-18

We command you, beloved, to stay away from believers who are living in idleness, contrary to the traditions we passed on to you. You know, how you ought to follow our example: we worked while we were with you. Day and night, we labored and toiled so as not to be a burden to any of you. We had the right to act otherwise, but we wanted to give you an example. Besides, while we were with you, we said clearly: If anyone is not willing to work, neither should that one eat.

May the Lord of peace give you his peace at all times and in every way. May the Lord be with you all. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is my signature in all my letters. This is how I write. May the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord be with you.

Gospel: Matthew 23: 27-32

Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs beautiful in appearance, but inside there are only dead bones and uncleanness. In the same way you appear as religious to others, but you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness within.

Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. You say: Had we lived in the time of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in the blood of prophets. So, you yourselves confess to be the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. And now, finish off what your ancestors began!

Reflection: “Hiding the truth”

Prophecy and hypocrisy do not go together. The prophets speak the truth. The hypocrites hide the truth by fabricating lies, and cover up their lies by making them appear as if they are truthful. Today’s Gospel continues Jesus’ ouai, his grief, over the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. Jesus pointed out how the teachers of the law and the Pharisees would build tombs for the righteous prophets and decorate them as a way to wash their hands of the guilt or, at least, pretend that they had no participation in the killing of the prophets done by their ancestors. They are like whitewashed tombs. They appear good but their hearts are full of wickedness.

Jesus’ challenge to the scribes and Pharisees, toward having cleaner hearts, is also a challenge to all of us who have embarked on this journey of faith. As we take the path of righteousness, we need to be always mindful that we, too, may fall into the spiritual pitfall of self-righteousness. When we fall into this trap, we do everything to cover up rather than admit our faults because the temptation to protect our masked image, which protects the wickedness within us, becomes very strong.