Daily Readings - Wed Aug 30 2017
First Reading - 1 Thessalonians 2.9-13
1 Thessalonians
For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
Gospel - Matthew 23.27-32
Matthew
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound reflections on faith and authenticity. The first reading from 1 Thessalonians highlights Paul's dedication to his ministry, where he and his companions worked tirelessly to share the Gospel without burdening others. They lived with holiness, justice, and blamelessness, and the Thessalonians embraced the Word of God as divine truth. This passage underscores the sincerity and integrity that should characterize our faith journey.
The Gospel from Matthew presents a stark contrast as Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He likened them to whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled with decay within. Jesus condemned their outward displays of piety that hid inner wickedness and hypocrisy. This serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of prioritizing appearance over true faith.
Together, these readings invite us to reflect on the authenticity of our faith. Paul's example shows us the value of living with integrity, while Jesus warns against the emptiness of superficial religiosity. In our daily lives, this means ensuring our actions and beliefs align, avoiding the trap of mere outward shows of faith. The moral lesson here is clear: sincerity and authenticity are essential in our relationship with God. Let us strive to live with the kind of integrity that reflects the true depth of our faith, rather than merely adhering to outward appearances.