Sunday, August 26, 2012

 

MONDAY 21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II

AUGUST 27, 2012
MONDAY 21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II
MEMORIAL, ST MONICA

2 Thes 1:1-5, 11-12 / Mt 23:13-22

2 THESSALONIANS 1:1-5, 11-12
From Paul, Sylvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians which is in God our Father and in Christ Jesus, the Lord. May grace and peace be yours from God the Father and Christ Jesus, the Lord. Brothers and sisters, we should give thanks to God at all times for you. It is fitting to do so, for your faith is growing and your love for one another increasing. We take pride in you among the churches of God because of your endurance and your faith in the midst of persecution and sufferings. In this the just judgment of God may be seen; for you must show yourselves worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are now suffering. This is why we constantly pray for you; may our God make you worthy of his calling. May he, by his power, fulfill your good purposes and your work prompted by faith. In that way, the name of Jesus our Lord will be glorified through you, and you through him, according to the loving plan of God and of Christ Jesus the Lord.

MATTHEW 23:13-22
Therefore, woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door to the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor do you allow others to do so. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You devour widows' houses, even while for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you shall receive greater condemnation. Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel by sea and land to win a single convert, yet once he is converted, you make him twice as fit for hell as yourselves. Woe to you, blind guides! You say: To swear by the Temple is not binding, but to swear by the treasure of the Temple is binding. Blind fools! Which is of more worth: the gold in the Temple, or the Temple which makes the gold a sacred treasure? You say: To swear by the altar is not binding, but to swear by the offering on the altar is binding. How blind you are! Which is of more value: the offering on the altar, or the altar which makes the offering sacred? Whoever swears by the altar, is swearing by the altar and by everything on it. Whoever swears by the Temple is swearing by the Temple and by God who dwells in the Temple. Whoever swears by heaven is swearing by the throne of God, and by him who is seated on it.

REFLECTION
The Pharisees forgot, or preferred to ignore, the original purpose of the law. They made themselves slaves of the law because, perhaps, it gave them a sense of security. Humans very often fear the responsibility of being free. It's easier to let others make the decisions, or simply to rely on the letter of the law.

In their enslavement to the law, the Pharisees also found a political value. They could demand that others enslave themselves to the law, while only they had the right to interpret it. The law therefore became a tool for political and economic oppression.

Jesus wanted to liberate everyone from the law. He could not, of course, abandon it. It was the attitude toward the law that had to be changed. The law had to be dethroned, knocked down from its pedestal, and turned from man's master to be his servant. The human person must take responsibility for his servant – the law – and he must use the law to serve the needs of humankind. This is quite different from lawlessness, licentiousness, or permissiveness. The law stands and its prescriptions are still there for men and women to obey, but always for the good of the men and women who are to obey them.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Fr. Ismael Zuloaga, SJ
- Kathy
- Eriberta Calvario
- Cipriano Maribojoc
… Birthday: Mary Joy Billanes
… In Memoriam: Shirley Weber
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Jesse Manalastas Robredo
- Rolando Custodio
Eternal rest grant unto them and may perpetual light shine upon them. May they and all the dearly departed rest in peace.
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Elizabeth U. Go
- Birthday: Sheldon Villanueva
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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