28 August, 2023 | Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church | Monday in the 21st Week in Ordinary Time

 Gospel  Mt 23: 13-22

Learn to Walk the Talk

Gospel Text

13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.[a] 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell[b] as yourselves. 16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone 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 anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone 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 whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

Reflections:

In today’s Gospel Jesus confronts the scribes and Pharisees of their self-righteous behavior. Jesus teaches us that we must lead by example rather than empty words. It is easy to tell others to practice the virtues, while one may hardly do it oneself, just like it is easy to point the mistake of others rather than correcting our own. In all ways we are to make efforts to practice the values of the Gospel. Along with our effort, the grace of God can help us to be true. 

Activity: 

Be exemplary in your words and actions.