Daily Readings - Tue Aug 23 2022
2 Thessalonians
1Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers,2not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.3Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.14He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Matthew
23"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.25"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the balance between outward practices and inward faith. In the second reading from 2 Thessalonians, St. Paul warns the early Christians not to be deceived by false claims about the Lord’s return. He encourages them to stand firm in the traditions they have received and to trust in God’s grace, which strengthens them in every good word and deed. This passage emphasizes the importance of remaining grounded in faith, even when faced with confusion or uncertainty.
In the Gospel, Jesus critiques the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. They meticulously observe minor details of the law, such as tithing on mint and dill, but neglect the weightier matters like judgment, mercy, and faith. Jesus points out the absurdity of their focus on outward appearances—cleaning the outside of the cup while leaving the inside filled with greed and impurity. His words remind us that true righteousness begins within. Our actions and practices should flow from a heart that is pure and aligned with God’s will.
Both readings call us to examine our own lives. Are we more concerned with appearances or with living out our faith authentically? Do we focus on the “small stuff” while neglecting the deeper demands of love, mercy, and justice? Let us ask for the grace to stand firm in our faith, to trust in God’s guidance, and to cultivate a purity of heart that shines outward in all we do. May we not be blind guides, straining out gnats while swallowing camels, but rather may we be people of integrity, whose actions reflect the truth of our inner devotion.