Wednesday - August 26, 2020
Virtues are formed by prayer.
Prayer preserves temperance.
Prayer suppresses anger.
Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.
Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.
-- St Ephraem
Virtues are formed by prayer.
Prayer preserves temperance.
Prayer suppresses anger.
Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.
Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.
Prayer preserves temperance.
Prayer suppresses anger.
Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.
Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.
-- St Ephraem
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
| First reading |
|---|
| 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10,16-18 |
We worked night and day not to be a burden on you
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we urge you, brothers, to keep away from any of the brothers who refuses to work or to live according to the tradition we passed on to you.
You know how you are supposed to imitate us: now we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we ever have our meals at anyone’s table without paying for them; no, we worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to be a burden on any of you. This was not because we had no right to be, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow.
We gave you a rule when we were with you: do not let anyone have any food if he refuses to do any work. May the Lord of peace himself give you peace all the time and in every way. The Lord be with you all.
From me, PAUL, these greetings in my own handwriting, which is the mark of genuineness in every letter; this is my own writing. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
| Responsorial Psalm |
|---|
| Psalm 127(128):1-2,4-5 |
O blessed are those who fear the Lord.
O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!
By the labour of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper.
O blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
O blessed are those who fear the Lord.
| Gospel Acclamation | Mt4:4 |
|---|
Alleluia, alleluia!
Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Alleluia!
| Or: | 1Jn2:5 |
|---|
Alleluia, alleluia!
Whenever anyone obeys what Christ has said,
God’s love comes to perfection in him.
Alleluia!
| Gospel |
|---|
| Matthew 23:27-32 |
You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets
Jesus said: ‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who are like whitewashed tombs that look handsome on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of corruption. In the same way you appear to people from the outside like good honest men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who build the sepulchres of the prophets and decorate the tombs of holy men, saying, “We would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets, had we lived in our fathers’ day.” So! Your own evidence tells against you! You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets! Very well then, finish off the work that your fathers began.’
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Removing the Masks of Hypocrisy
We all fall into hypocrisy from time to time. For example, when an act of kindness has a legalistic motive (i.e., doing it out of duty rather than out of compassion), our goodness is only skin-deep, not heart-deep.
When someone says to us, "I don't like the way you treated me when ---", we put on the mask of listening, but our hidden faces contort with rapid-fire thoughts of self-defensiveness, because we're more concerned about ourselves than about the other person's pain.
We wear the mask of hypocrisy because it helps us feel protected and safe. In reality, it's deadly to our interactions with others; it interferes with life-giving love. Only when we're vulnerable can we genuinely care about others and open ourselves to receive goodness from others. This is true even when we're right and the other person is wrong and even when a kindness is inconvenient.
And what if we get hurt? Jesus is always with us, kissing our wounds.
Hypocrisy slowly kills our true, God-given identity. If we wear this mask for a long time, we lose awareness of who we really are and what our value truly is. Those who encounter us do not see the person that God created us to be. Thus, the Pharisees became "full of filth and dead men's bones."
How dirty and dead are you inside? Answer this by asking: How much of God's live-giving love am I experiencing? Is it flowing from me as much as it's filling me?
In today's first reading, St. Paul differentiates between those who distance themselves from God's ways and those who follow the tradition passed down from the Apostles. As Paul describes it, the Christian tradition is one of loving service: no disorderliness, no impositions upon others, and working hard in the service of God's kingdom. Paul and his ministry team cared about the people they shepherded, so much so that they served them even in toil and drudgery, night and day.
As today's responsorial psalm reminds us, we are happiest when we walk in God's ways, because the hard work of loving and caring about others will produce fruit that we can enjoy. We will be blessed by it; we will be favored by God.
Why does Paul tell us to avoid socializing with those who walk in a disorderly way? Hypocrisy is highly contagious! O God, help us to dare to be truly who you created us to be -- imitators of Christ your Son; amen!
Today's Prayer
Master, You've known me forever. You know when I'm faithful and when I'm unfaithful. Despite my weaknesses, You still entrust me with the mission You've always planned for me. Thank You for Your faithfulness! Amen.
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God Bless You.....
The Rosary Family
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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