Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 30, 2017
First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2.9-13
9Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
Psalm 139
1O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.2You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.3You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.4Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.5You hem me in-behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.7Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?8If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.9If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,10even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.11If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"12even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.15My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,16your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.17How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.19If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!20They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.21Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?22I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.23Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.24See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Gospel: Matthew 23.27-32
27"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.29"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous.30And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.32Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!
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.