Tuesday, August 25, 2015
WEDNESDAY, 21st Week in Ordinary Time
August 26, 2015 WEDNESDAY, 21st Week in Ordinary Time
Green
1 Thes 2:9 – 13 / Mt 23:27 – 32
Reading: 1 Thes 2:9 - 10
Remember our labor and toil; when we preached the Gospel, we worked day and night so as not to be a burden to you. You are witnesses with God that we were holy, just and blameless toward all of you who now believe.
Gospel: Mt 23:27 - 32
Jesus said, "Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs beautiful in appearance, but inside are only dead bones and uncleanness. In the same way you appear as religious to others, but you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness within.
"Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. You say: 'Had we lived in the time of our ancestors. We would not have joined them in the blood of prophets.' So, you yourselves confess to be kins of those who murdered the prophets. And now, finish off what your ancestors began!"
Reflection:
In the first reading, St. Paul declares that he and those who preached the Gospel of Christ were "holy, just and blameless toward all of you who now believe," that they strove to be honest and truthful in living out what they preached.
In the Gospel reading Jesus criticizes the "teachers of the Law and the Pharisees' for being "hypocrites." He was disgusted by their pretensions, with beautiful outside appearances but with decaying and evil insides.
Today we regret to say we continue to have "teachers of the Law" and leaders who are hypocrites, who do not live out what they teach. But at the same time we also find many who are honest and truthful and who strive to live out the Gospel message they have heard.
We probably know people we can completely trust: they are always truthful: "I also tell the truth. It is hard for me to tell a lie. I was raised to always tell the truth." These people would not understand why people lie, why people do not tell the truth. They were brought up by parents and in families which truly treasured the importance of telling the truth. They were bred and trained never to tolerate "gray" shades in their words and actions.
Let us ask the Holy Spirit to empower all of us to always be truthful and honest in our words and actions. Let us ask that the Holy Spirit will encourage those who bring people up, especially parents and teachers, to consistently teach the value of the truth in word and action. Let us rejoice at and encourage all, especially the young, to always live by the truth.
Let us pray that our pastors and teachers may be honest and truthful and not be hypocrites as they preach and live out the Gospel message.
WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:
BIRTHDAY
EDWIN C. INOCENTES
MARY JANE BILLANES
OTHER INTENTIONS:
For the thanksgiving & personal intentions of Beny Chua.
For the intentions of the Bulacan clergy who are on retreat now.
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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| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
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