31ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green)
Ps 131:1, 2, 3
In you, Lord, I have found my peace.
1st Reading: Mal 1:14b–2:2b, 8-10
Cursed be the cheater, who, after promising me a bull from his herd, sacrifices a stunted animal. For I am a great king; and my name is respected through all the nations, says Yahweh of hosts or concern yourself, to glorify my name, says Yahweh of hosts, I will send the curse on you and curse even your blessings.
But you, says Yahweh of hosts, have strayed from my way, and, moreover, caused many to stumble because of your teaching. You have broken my Covenant with Levi. Therefore, I let all the people despise you and consider you unworthy, because you do not follow my ways; and you show partiality in your judgments.
Do we not all have the same father? Has the same God not created all of us? Why, then, does each of us betray his brother, defiling the Covenant of our ancestors?
2nd Reading: 1 Thes 2:7b-9, 13
On the contrary, we were gentle with you, as a nursing mother, who feeds and cuddles her baby. And so great is our concern, that we are ready to give you, as well as the gospel, even our very lives, for you have become very dear to us.
Remember our labor and toil; when we preached the gospel, we worked day and night, so as not to be a burden to you.
This is why we never cease giving thanks to God for, on receiving our message, you accepted it, not as human teaching, but as the word of God. That is what it really is, and, as such, it is at work in you who believe.
Gospel: Mt 23:1-12
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees have sat down on the chair of Moses. So you shall do and observe all they say; but do not do as they do, for they do not do what they say. They tie up heavy burdens and load them on the shoulders of the people, but they do not even lift a finger to move them. They do everything in order to be seen by people: they wear very wide bands of the law around their foreheads, and robes with large tassels. They enjoy the first places at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and they like being greeted in the marketplace, and being called ‘Master‘ by the people.
But you, do not let yourselves be called Master, because you have only one Master, and all of you are brothers and sisters. Neither should you call anyone on earth Father, because you have only one Father, he who is in heaven. Nor should you be called Leader, because Christ is the only Leader for you. Let the greatest among you be the servant of all. For whoever makes himself great shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be made great.
REFLECTION:
Read: The prophet denounces cheating, violence, betrayal, and defilement of the Covenant. On the contrary, Paul reveals his commitment to the Gospel, his readiness to give up life for it. Jesus criticizes the mismatch between the words and the acts of spiritual leaders.
Reflect: It is only in God the word and the deed are perfectly identical. What God utters, is. In our human lives, we often struggle with the mismatch of our words and deeds. Whether in marriage or priesthood or religious life, we solemnly profess vows and commitment, but in living them, we may fail in varying degrees. However, we shall not be found wanting in our sincere desire and effort to match our words with deeds. God, who sees the heart, will be the judge of our authenticity.
Pray: Pray for those who are in leadership roles in the Church, that their lives may match what they preach, and thereby glorify God.
Act: Recite a decade of the Rosary for the leaders of the Church.
Daily Reflection
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Readings and Reflections
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