Matthew 23:13-22

2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12

Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 4-5

Matthew 23:13-22

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.

You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.

You do not enter yourselves,

nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.

You traverse sea and land to make one convert,

and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna

twice as much as yourselves.

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say,

‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,

but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’

Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,

or the temple that made the gold sacred?

And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,

but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’

You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,

or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;

one who swears by the temple swears by it

and by him who dwells in it;

one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God

and by him who is seated on it.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I have no desire to be like the scribes and Pharisees. Help me to rid my life of any hypocrisy. I want my yes to mean yes and my no to mean no. I want my actions to conform to my Christian faith. I will strive to imitate your Son as best as I can, empowered by your grace and moved by your Spirit.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Entering the Kingdom of Heaven: The Kingdom of Heaven is a central theme in Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus begins his public ministry preaching that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and urges repentance from sin and belief in the Gospel. This Kingdom belongs not to the prideful and those attached to earthly treasure, but to the poor in spirit and to those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Attachment to riches makes it hard to enter the kingdom of heaven. However, those who sell everything to follow Jesus will reign with him (19:27-30). Those who observe the commandments of God and teach the commandments to others will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven. The childlike and the humble enter the Kingdom (18:1-4). We are to pray for the coming of the Kingdom (6:10). We are to seek first the Kingdom and not obsess about our earthly needs (6:33). The Apostles are sent out to the lost sheep of Israel and are to preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (10:7). Good and bad people will coexist in the Kingdom until the end of time (13:24-30). Both will be gathered into the royal wedding feast, but ultimately they will be separated from one another at the end of the age (22:1-14). Our King is merciful and we are to imitate his mercy (18:35). The Kingdom will continue to grow like a seed into a great tree and yet is like a hidden treasure buried in a field or a pearl of great price. It is worth selling everything we possess to obtain it. Jesus gives Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven (16:19) and gives some authority to the other apostles (18:18). Jesus has just told his Apostles and disciples to observe the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees (23:2), but, at the same time, warns them that the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees keeps them from entering the Kingdom and hinders others from entering into the Kingdom. To enter the Kingdom, our righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees (5:20). The scribes and Pharisees are blind guides leading the blind, using sophistry to justify their evil actions. They make false oaths by the temple or by the temple altar and hold that only oaths made by the gold of the temple or by the gift on the altar oblige them. Earlier Jesus commanded the people not to swear oaths at all. If every word that they say is truthful, there is no need to swear oaths to back up what they say (5:33-37).

2. The Parousia of Jesus according to Second Thessalonians: In his Second Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul encourages the Church to endure sufferings and persecutions so that they may be considered worthy of the Kingdom of God. The Acts of the Apostles (17:1-9) tells us how Paul preached in the synagogue and persuaded some of the Jews, a large number of Greeks, and some prominent women to accept Jesus as the Messiah. This made the other Jews envious. A mob formed and started a riot in the city. The mob dragged the believers before the city officials, who only let them go when they posted bond. Paul and Silas escaped the city at night. Paul had first-hand experience of the persecution in Thessalonica and prayed that God might bring to fulfillment his plan of salvation in the Church and that Jesus Christ may be glorified in them and they in Christ. The Christian community was united by their faith in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ. The source for this bond of communion is the grace and peace that comes from the Father and the Son. Paul gave thanks to God because the Thessalonians were growing in faith and love and were patiently enduring persecution on account of their faith. In his letter, Paul will go on to correct a misunderstanding in the community about Christ’s glorious second coming (parousia). There is a series of events that must take place before the day of the Lord, the day of judgment. While it is true that the return of Christ is imminent, none of us know the day nor the hour of his return. Jesus will come like a thief in the night and so we must always be ready.

3. The End Times and the Definitive Establishment of the Kingdom: The Kingdom of God is present yet awaits definitive establishment at the end of time. Since the day of Christ’s Ascension and the day of Pentecost, we are living in the end times. We are already at the last hour (CCC, 670). The present time is the time of the Holy Spirit and of witness to Christ, but it is also a time marked by ‘distress’ and the trial of evil which does not spare the Church and ushers in the struggles of the last days. It is a time of waiting and watching (CCC, 672). The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through a final Passover and ultimate trial. In this way, she imitates and follows Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection. “The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God’s victory over the final unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven. God’s triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgment after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world” (CCC, 677).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I pray for the coming of your Kingdom. I will work to spread your Kingdom in the world around me. I pray that you fully reign in my heart, in my family, and in my community. Come, Lord Jesus!

Living the Word of God: We will be judged by God and the secret intentions of our hearts will be brought to light. Will we be judged like the scribes and Pharisees, with unmerciful hearts full of hypocrisy? Or will we be judged to have a merciful, child-like heart that welcomes the Word of God and allows God to reign?