Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 30, 2017
First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2.9-13
9For 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.10Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:11As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,12That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.13For 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.
Psalm 139
1O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.19Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.20For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.21Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?22I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.23Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Gospel: Matthew 23.27-32
27Woe 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.28Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.29Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,30And 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.31Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.32Fill 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.