Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 26, 2025
First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2.1-8
1For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.2But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.3For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive,4but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.5For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed--God is witness.6Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.7But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.8So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
Psalm 139
1O LORD, you have searched me and known me!2You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.3You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.4Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.5You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.7Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?8If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!9If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.11If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,"12even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.13For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.14I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.15My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.17How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.19Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!20They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain!21Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.23Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!24And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Gospel: Matthew 23.23-26
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the authenticity of our faith and the integrity of our actions. In the first reading from 1 Thessalonians, St. Paul reminds the early Christians of the sincerity and selflessness with which he and his companions shared the Gospel. He emphasizes that their mission was not driven by personal gain or human approval but by a deep love for God and for the people they served. This passage highlights the importance of living out our faith with humility and generosity, putting the needs of others before our own.
In the Gospel, Jesus critiques the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He points out that while they meticulously observed certain religious practices, such as tithing, they neglected the more essential aspects of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. Jesus’ words challenge us to examine our own lives. Are we more focused on outward appearances or on cultivating inner purity and compassion? He warns against being “blind guides” who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel, reminding us that true faith must transform both our hearts and our actions.
These readings call us to live with integrity, ensuring that our words and actions align with the values of the Gospel. Like St. Paul, we are called to share our faith with sincerity and love, not seeking glory or gain. And like Jesus’ critique of the Pharisees, we are reminded that true righteousness begins within. Let us ask ourselves: Are we living in a way that reflects the love and mercy of God? Are we more concerned with what others see or with what God sees in our hearts? May we strive to be people of authenticity and compassion, living out our faith in a way that honors God and serves others.