Matthew 23:23-26

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

Psalm 139:1-3, 4-6

Matthew 23:23-26

Jesus said:

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

You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin,

and have neglected the weightier things of the law:

judgment and mercy and fidelity.

But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.

Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!

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

You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,

but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.

Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,

so that the outside also may be clean.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I hope to hear words of blessing and not woe when I encounter you at the moment of my death. I do not want to neglect the heart of your divine law. May I be just in all my works. May I be merciful to those around me. May I be faithful to your word.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Neglecting Justice, Mercy, and Fidelity: The seven warnings Jesus pronounces to the scribes and Pharisees are all connected by the word “hypocrite.” The Greek word refers to an actor who interprets a character from behind a mask. They are outwardly acting one way, but inwardly are very different. The Hebrew word for “hypocrite,” refers to a color or dye. A hypocrite is a person who dyes themselves to give off a false appearance. Someone is a hypocrite when they are inauthentic, presenting themselves as one thing, when in fact they are something else. The hypocrisy of the Pharisees is seen in how they claim to teach the way to the Kingdom, but actually don’t. They claim to make people children of God, but actually make them children of hell. They claim that their rules, traditions, and distinctions help a person to obey God’s law, but actually help others to disobey God’s laws. In the fourth woe, which we read in today’s Gospel, Jesus points out the hypocrisy of concentrating on the minutiae and minor laws, like paying tithes on spices and herbs, while neglecting and forgetting about the major laws concerning justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Jesus compares this hypocrisy to straining out a gnat but swallowing a camel. The scribes and Pharisees are truly blind in how they approach and try to live and fulfill God’s Law.

2. False Outward Purity, True Inner Corruption: The fifth woe brings out the hypocrisy of outwardly presenting themselves as pure and holy, but in truth being full of corruption. The name “Pharisee” meant “separated ones.” It was thought of as a way of holiness. They separated themselves especially from the Gentiles, who were considered as sources of ritual impurity, and also from those they deemed among the Jewish people as irreligious or sinners. Jesus teaches them that the true path to holiness is not found in outward cleansing, but begins from within. We need God’s grace to work within our hearts to purify and sanctify them. True piety will stem from a heart that loves God above all things and neighbor as oneself.

3. The Gospel of God: In the First Reading, from the First Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul speaks about the “Gospel of God,” three times. Paul mentions that he has been entrusted with the Gospel, that he spoke the Gospel of God to them with much struggle, and that he shared with them not only the Gospel but also his very self. What is “the Gospel of God”? Primarily, the Gospel is about what God has done through the sending of his Son. The Gospel is about God’s Kingdom that was promised through the Prophets and established by Jesus through his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. We are called to respond to the invitation to enter the Kingdom of God, where we can find forgiveness, salvation, redemption, divine adoption, hope, eternal life, and communion with the triune God.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you reserved your harshest judgment for the Scribes and Pharisees. They were supposed to be the good shepherds of your people and yet they often were obstacles between the people and the Father. Help me to be a good shepherd and eradicate any hypocrisy in my life.

Living the Word of God: Am I good at distinguishing between the heart of God’s law and things that are important but secondary? When have I been too concerned with lesser matters and not with weightier matters? Can I apply this reflection to my family life and distinguish between what is most important and what is of lesser importance?