First reading 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
We were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives
You know yourselves, my brothers, that our visit to you has not proved ineffectual.
We had, as you know, been given rough treatment and been grossly insulted at Philippi, and it was our God who gave us the courage to proclaim his Good News to you in the face of great opposition. We have not taken to preaching because we are deluded, or immoral, or trying to deceive anyone; it was God who decided that we were fit to be entrusted with the Good News, and when we are speaking, we are not trying to please men but God, who can read our inmost thoughts. You know very well, and we can swear it before God, that never at any time have our speeches been simply flattery, or a cover for trying to get money; nor have we ever looked for any special honour from men, either from you or anybody else, when we could have imposed ourselves on you with full weight, as apostles of Christ.
Instead, we were unassuming. Like a mother feeding and looking after her own children, we felt so devoted and protective towards you, and had come to love you so much, that we were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives as well.
Responsorial Psalm 138(139):1-3,4-6
O Lord, you search me and you know me.
O Lord, you search me and you know me,
you know my resting and my rising,
you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down,
all my ways lie open to you.
Before ever a word is on my tongue
you know it, O Lord, through and through.
Behind and before you besiege me,
your hand ever laid upon me.
Too wonderful for me this knowledge,
too high, beyond my reach.
Gospel Matthew 23:23-26
Clean the inside of the cup first, so that the outside may become clean
Jesus said: ‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who pay your tithe of mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law – justice, mercy, good faith! These you should have practised, without neglecting the others. You blind guides! Straining out gnats and swallowing camels!
‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who clean the outside of cup and dish and leave the inside full of extortion and intemperance. Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside of cup and dish first so that the outside may become clean as well.’
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Loving God’s people
“Like a mother feeding and looking after her own children, we felt so devoted and protective towards you, and had come to love you so much, that we were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole life as well” (1st reading). St. Paul was convinced that everything he did and said was motivated by his desire to please God alone, rather than people. His love for God inspired him to care deeply for the people of Thessalonica, even in the face of opposition and criticism. He treated them with great gentleness, like a mother caring for her baby, and he willingly shared his life with them through selfless love and dedication. The invitation for us is to follow St. Paul’s example by being trustworthy guides for others, prioritising their well-being and spiritual lives.
“Clean the inside of the cup and dish first so that the outside may become clean as well”. In the gospel, Jesus encourages us to examine the motivations behind our actions and words. Sometimes, we may follow external rules while harbouring self-righteous judgments about others in our hearts. Jesus invites us to allow Him to transform our hearts so that we can live a life grounded in love and for love.
Reflective question:
How can I be a guide for others to encounter Christ?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
