Daily Readings - Tue Aug 27 2024

¹Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,²not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.³Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,¹⁴To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.¹⁶Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,¹⁷comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Matthew

Chapter 23

²³"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.²⁴You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!²⁵"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.²⁶You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the importance of living with authenticity and integrity in our faith. The first reading from 2 Thessalonians warns us against being deceived by false claims about the Lord’s return. St. Paul urges the community to stand firm in their traditions and not be swayed by empty words or misleading spirits. This passage emphasizes the need for steadfastness and trust in God’s plan, even when uncertainty or false teachings arise. The context of this letter was a community anxious about the Second Coming, and Paul reassures them that the Lord’s timing is not to be doubted or feared unnecessarily. The Gospel from Matthew complements this message by highlighting the danger of hypocrisy. Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for their meticulous observance of minor laws, such as tithing herbs, while neglecting the weightier matters of justice, mercy, and faith. He compares them to cups cleaned on the outside but filthy within, calling them to first purify their hearts before worrying about outward appearances. This teaching challenges us to examine our own lives: are we more concerned with how we look to others, or are we truly living out our faith with sincerity and compassion? Both readings call us to authenticity. In a world filled with distractions and false priorities, we are invited to focus on what truly matters—living with integrity, standing firm in our faith, and cultivating a heart that reflects God’s love. Let us not be like the Pharisees, straining out gnats while swallowing camels. Instead, let us allow God to clean our inner cups, that our actions and intentions may align with His will. In doing so, we become beacons of truth and grace in a world that sorely needs both.