Daily Readings - Mon Aug 26 2019
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the authenticity of our faith and the integrity of our actions. In the First Reading, Paul commends the Thessalonians for their vibrant faith and their role in spreading the Gospel, despite facing persecution. Their commitment is a testament to the transformative power of genuine belief. In contrast, the Gospel presents Jesus criticizing the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, highlighting the disconnect between their outward actions and inner sincerity. Jesus emphasizes that true faith is not about external rituals but about living with integrity and compassion.
The Thessalonians' example shows that genuine faith leads to endurance, love, and a desire to share the Good News. Their actions were a natural response to God's grace, inspiring others and spreading the Word beyond their community. Conversely, the Pharisees' hypocrisy, as Jesus points out, stems from a focus on appearances rather than a heartfelt commitment to God's will. Their actions, such as exploiting widows and using oaths to manipulate, reveal a corruption of true religious practice.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine our own faith and actions. Are we living with the sincerity and love that Paul praises in the Thessalonians, or are we falling into the trap of hypocrisy that Jesus condemns? Let us strive to live with integrity, ensuring our actions reflect our beliefs. By doing so, we become beacons of God's love, spreading the Gospel through our genuine and compassionate lives.