(Photo from Youth St Catherine, Inanam Official Facebook)
First reading 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3,14-17
Stand firm and keep the traditions we have taught you
To turn, brothers, to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him: please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived. Never let anyone deceive you in this way.
Through the Good News that we brought God called you to this so that you should share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Stand firm, then, brothers, and keep the traditions that we taught you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who has given us his love and, through his grace, such inexhaustible comfort and such sure hope, comfort you and strengthen you in everything good that you do or say.
Responsorial Psalm 95(96):10-13
The Lord comes to rule the earth.
Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’
The world he made firm in its place;
he will judge the peoples in fairness.
The Lord comes to rule the earth.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,
let the sea and all within it thunder praise,
let the land and all it bears rejoice,
all the trees of the wood shout for joy
at the presence of the Lord for he comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
The Lord comes to rule the earth.
With justice he will rule the world,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.
The Lord comes to rule the earth.
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.’
____________________________________________
Justice, mercy and good faith
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who has given us his love and, through his grace, such inexhaustible comfort and such sure hope, comfort you and strengthen you in everything good that you do and say” (1st reading). St Paul wrote this prayer to the Thessalonians as he reminded them that God’s love, His inexhaustible comfort and sure hope had to be their constant comfort and strength. Today, let us prayerfully reflect on these words of St Paul. Is God’s presence of love the source of our daily comfort and strength? With God in us, He empowers us to do every good work and say every good word.
In today’s gospel, Jesus told the religious leaders to stop and look if they have forgotten to live the fundamentals: justice, mercy, good faith. Despite outwardly appearing good, the scribes and the Pharisees failed to live a life as God desired them to. Let us examine our hearts and the way we relate with others. May Jesus guide us to take small steps to live a life pleasing to God.
Reflective question:
What is Jesus’ message for me in this time of prayer?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
