Daily Readings - Mon Aug 28 2017
1 Thessalonians
1Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:Grace to you and peace.2We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,3remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.4For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,5because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.8For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.9For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Matthew
13"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.14See Footnote15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.16"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'17You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?18And you say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.'19You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?20So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.21And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it.22And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful messages that challenge us to reflect on the authenticity of our faith and the integrity of our actions. The first reading from 1 Thessalonians expresses Paul’s gratitude for the vibrant faith of the Thessalonian community. He highlights their conversion from idolatry to the living God, their enduring hope in Christ, and how their faith has spread far beyond their city. This passage reminds us that genuine faith is not passive; it overflows into action, inspiring others and bearing witness to the power of the Gospel.
The Gospel from Matthew presents a stark contrast as Jesus denounces the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. He condemns their failure to live according to the teachings they espouse, their exploitation of the vulnerable, and their misguided emphasis on outward appearances rather than inner transformation. Jesus’ words are a call to integrity, warning us against allowing our faith to become hollow or self-serving. True faith, as Jesus emphasizes, must be lived out in sincerity and humility.
These readings invite us to examine our own lives. Are we like the Thessalonians, allowing our faith to shine brightly and transform those around us? Or do we risk falling into the trap of hypocrisy, prioritizing appearances over authenticity? Let us strive to live with the kind of integrity that Paul praises and Jesus demands. May our actions reflect the love and hope of Christ, and may our lives be a testament to the transformative power of genuine faith.