Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 27, 2019

Psalm 139

¹Unto the end. A Psalm of David. O Lord, you have examined me, and you have known me²You have known my sitting down and my rising up again³You have understood my thoughts from afar. My path and my fate, you have investigated⁴And you have foreseen all my ways. For there is no word in my tongue⁵Behold, O Lord, you have known all things: the newest and the very old. You have formed me, and you have placed your hand over me⁶Your knowledge has become a wonder to me. It has been reinforced, and I am not able to prevail against it⁷Where will I go from your Spirit? And where will I flee from your face⁸If I ascend into heaven, you are there. If I descend into Hell, you are near⁹If I assume my feathers in early morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea¹⁰even there, your hand will lead me forth, and your right hand will hold me¹¹And I said: Perhaps darkness will overwhelm me, and the night will be my illumination, to my delight¹²But darkness will not be impenetrable to you, and night will illuminate like the day: for just as its darkness is, so also is its light¹³For you have possessed my temperament. You have supported me from the womb of my mother¹⁴I will confess to you, for you have been magnified terribly. Your works are miraculous, as my soul knows exceedingly well¹⁵My bone, which you have made in secret, has not been hidden from you, and my substance is in accord with the lower parts of the earth¹⁶Your eyes saw my imperfection, and all this shall be written in your book. Days will be formed, and no one shall be in them¹⁷But to me, O God, your friends have been greatly honored. Their first ruler has been exceedingly strengthened¹⁸I will number them, and they will be more numerous than the sand. I rose up, and I am still with you¹⁹O God, if only you would cut down sinners. You men of blood: depart from me²⁰For you say in thought: They will accept your cities in vain²¹Have I not hated those who hated you, Lord, and wasted away because of your enemies²²I have hated them with a perfect hatred, and they have become enemies to me²³Examine me, O God, and know my heart. Question me, and know my paths²⁴And see if there might be in me the way of iniquity, and lead me in the way of eternity

Gospel: Matthew 23.23-26

Matthew

Chapter 23

²³Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you collect tithes on mint and dill and cumin, but you have abandoned the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, while not omitting the others²⁴You blind guides, straining out a gnat, while swallowing a camel²⁵Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you clean what is outside the cup and the dish, but on the inside you are full of avarice and impurity²⁶You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, and then what is outside becomes clean

Sermon

The Gospel reading today is a powerful critique by Jesus against the scribes and Pharisees, highlighting their hypocrisy and misplaced priorities. Jesus condemns them for meticulously observing minor details of the law, such as tithing on herbs like mint, dill, and cumin, while neglecting the far more important aspects of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith. He uses vivid imagery to illustrate their spiritual blindness, comparing them to those who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. This metaphor underscores how they focus on trivial matters while ignoring the weightier issues of justice and compassion. Jesus further criticizes their obsession with outward appearances, such as cleaning the outside of cups and dishes, while inwardly they are filled with greed and impurity. He calls them to first clean the inside of the cup, implying that true purity must begin from within. This passage is part of Jesus’ broader denunciation of the Pharisees in Matthew 23, where he exposes their hypocrisy and calls them to authentic faith. The Pharisees were known for their strict adherence to Jewish law, but their focus on external rituals often led them to neglect the heart of the law, which is love and mercy. Jesus’ words here are not a rejection of the law itself but a call to prioritize its deeper, spiritual dimensions over superficial practices. He is emphasizing that true religion is not about outward appearances or meticulous rule-keeping but about the condition of the heart. In our daily lives, this passage invites us to reflect on our own priorities and practices. Are we guilty of focusing on the “gnats” of religious observance while neglecting the “camels” of justice, mercy, and love? Do we, like the Pharisees, clean the outside of the cup while leaving the inside stained with greed, anger, or pride? Jesus’ words challenge us to examine our hearts and ensure that our faith is not merely external but deeply rooted in a genuine relationship with God. Let us strive to live lives of integrity, where our outward actions flow from a heart that is pure, compassionate, and just. True holiness begins within, and only then can it radiate outward in a way that honors God and serves others.