2 Thessalonians 3 :6- 10. 16- 18,
Psalm 128:1-2.4-5,
Matthew 23 :27-32 Full Readings
Religious Integrity
The first Reading and the Gospel both talk about religious Integrity. in the first Reading which is the final reading from Thessalonians makes this point: Christianity should not be an excuse for idleness, everyone must work for his or her own food. Even Jesus was not lazy. Some people had stopped working and that's why Paul warns them. They had possibly laid off work in expectation of the imminent coming of Christ, which would make all such work superfluous and useless. Alternatively, the mutual support given by the Christians to one another may have been so generous that some were contented to live on hand-outs without the need to do any work themselves.
In the Gospel, Jesus is very critical of people who appear to be very good Christians but who have very little or nothing of the Christian spirit. Such people are often a danger to others who might be deceived into following them. The Psalmist affirms that those who truly fear the Lord walk in his ways. The Christian way of life is transmitted from generation to generation. Every generation of Christians has a record of heroic men and women who are models of the way of life taught by Jesus Christ. Such people encourage us to continue steadfastly on the right way without being deceived by false and pretentious guides.
How can you tell if someone is real or fake, genuine or counterfeit? Outward appearances can be deceptive. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth (Isaiah 11:3-4). The heart reveals the true intentions and attitudes that form the way we think of others and treat them. Jesus used strong language to warn the religious leaders and teachers about the vanity of outward appearance and pretense - wearing a mask that hides the true intentions and thoughts of the heart. In Palestine tombs were often placed by the sides of roads. They were painted white which made them glisten in the midday sun, especially around the time of the great feasts, so that people would not accidentally touch them and incur ritual impurity.
Jesus equates true beauty and goodness with a clean heart and mind that is set on God and his way of love and goodness, and sin with a corrupt mind and heart that is set on doing what is wrong and evil. Jesus issued a stern warning to the scribes and Pharisees not to condemn them but to call them to examine their hearts in the light of God's truth and holiness. Jesus called them hypocrites because their hearts were set on pleasing themselves rather than God. A hypocrite is an actor or imposter who says one thing but does the opposite or who puts on an outward appearance of doing good while inwardly clinging to wrong attitudes, selfish desires and ambitions, or bad intentions. Many scribes and Pharisees had made it a regular practice to publicly put on a good show of outward zeal and piety with the intention of winning greater honors, privileges, and favors among the people.
Our invitation today is to examine our lives, and see where we are or not living hypocritical lives. Jesus told the Pharisees that, while they appeared beautiful on the outside, they were full of filth inside. He looked directly into their souls, as he does into ours. Power, beauty, and honor can corrupt. If we’re beautiful on the outside, praise him. If we’re in leadership positions, like the Pharisees were, depend on him. If we’re being honored, it’s because Jesus allowed it. Only by relying solely on Jesus, and not on our own gifts and strengths, will we avoid condemnation like the Pharisees. May Jesus never say to us, “Woe to you.”
Pray for these graces and help from God today. Pray also to live an authentic and integral Christian life.
Let us pray
Make me always to live the life of integrity so that my interior will inform the exterior and that whatever I do should be reflecting the exterior. Amen.
Be blessed.
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