Gospel Reflection

August 27, 2012

Monday

St. Monica (Memorial)

by Rev. Fr. Montecarlo Veloria (Shrine of the Our Lady of Mercy, Novaliches)

Megamall

First Reading:               2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12

Psalm:                         Psalm 96:1-5

Gospel:                        Matthew 23:13-22         

13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. 16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, `If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; 21 and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; 22 and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

HOMILY

In today’s Gospel, Jesus was angry. Jesus’ anger was a holy anger against hypocrites. Hypocrisy is hard to tell, until the person manifests it through action. But for God, hypocrisy cannot be hidden. The Lord is telling us that when it comes to our relationship with God and others, we should always tell the truth and live in truth.

When we go to mass, or when we help others, what is our motivation? Are we true to our calling or do we do things because we have other intentions?

 

St. Monica – Pray for us