Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Genuine, Authentic Persons
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. Paul is aware that his Thessalonians are in danger of becoming an end-of-the-world sect, something we can easily understand in light of the many similar sects appearing among us today. Paul invites them to look serenely at the traditions of the early Church about the end of the world, which Paul had brought to them. Jesus comes not to end the world but to bring us another world of justice and mercy.
Gospel. There is always the danger that religions turn into a kind of ritualism that imposes practices of little meaning as if they were the saving factors. Ritualism and rubricism are still raising their ugly heads even after Vatican II. How ridiculous, almost superstitious! Equally ridiculous because it is empty, is a religion that professes to have faith but minimises or shuns religious practices. Be sure that with this attitude quite rampant in our time, true faith disappears.
Opening Prayer
Truthful, authentic, genuine God,
you are the truth in its fullness.
Immerse us in your truth,
that we may emerge as truthful persons
who do not bother about outward appearances
but live in the likeness of Jesus Christ, your Son.
Thus make it possible for us to live
in communion with one another in mutual trust,
one in his Spirit,
today and every day and forever.
First Reading
The Parousia or Second Coming of the Lord
Brothers and sisters, let’s discuss the coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord, and our gathering to meet him.
Do not be easily shaken. Do not be alarmed by what a prophet says, or by any report, or by some letter supposedly from us claiming that the day of the Lord is near.
Never let yourselves be deceived. Apostasy must happen first when the man of sin appears,
To this end, he called you through the gospel we preach, because he wanted you to share in the glory of Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold to the traditions we taught you, whether by word or letter.
May Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has loved us, and God our Father, who, in his mercy, gives us everlasting comfort and steadfast hope, strengthen you.
May he strengthen your hearts and help you stay steadfast in every good deed and word.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You carefully avoid neglecting the mint, anise, and cumin seeds when you demand the tenth of everything, but then, you forget what is most fundamental in the law: justice, mercy, and faith! You should have practiced these things without neglecting the others.
Blind guides! You remove a mosquito but swallow a camel.
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You fill the plate and the cup with theft and violence, then pronounce a blessing over them.
Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside first, and then the outside will be clean as well.
Prayers of the Faithful
– For missionaries and all who proclaim the faith, that their own lifestyle be a strong argument to follow Jesus Christ, we pray:
– For all apostles and prophets in the Church, that their personal encounter with the Lord may give them the power to speak for what is right and good, we pray:
– For us, that we may learn to care little for outward display but for the things that matter: honesty, justice and love, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
you could not give us a more truthful sign
than this bread and this wine;
here you show us again and again
how much you love us in your Son Jesus Christ.
Let this sign of your truthfulness
imprint on us an indelible mark,
that all may see that his Spirit lives among us,
today and every day, forever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
you show us in Jesus, your Son
the way, the truth and the life.
Let him accompany us on the road
and teach us your truthfulness,
that we may live as authentic persons
in a genuine community of brothers and sisters
where it is good to live in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
today and forever.
Blessing
Let us, as Jesus recommends, pay attention first of all to the important matters of the law: to justice and mercy, faith and love. The rest will follow easily. May Almighty God bless you all, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Matthew 23: 23-26
You cannot buy God! We continue to listen to Jesus’ discourse on the ‘seven woes.’ The Torah commands offering the tithe—one-tenth of everything the people produce in their fields—mainly grain, fruits, wine, and oil. While some Pharisees emphasised strict adherence to this command, they conveniently overlooked the law’s more important aspects, such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
The Gospel challenges us to grow in mercy and justice as we profess our faith in Jesus. It reminds us that we shouldn't think we can earn God's favour by giving money. Some individuals generously donate to the Church but don't treat those around them with fairness and kindness.
In September 2018, during a visit to Sicily, Pope Francis spoke out against the notorious mafia gangs there, saying that it's impossible to be a member of the mafia and be a Christian at the same time “because they blaspheme against God’s name with their lives.” People involved in criminal activities cannot be Christians, despite their significant financial contributions to the Church and charitable works.
In the time of Matthew, the question of ritual purity was of great importance, a primary identification mark for the Jews. However, Jesus sought to shift the focus to the priority of inner attitudes over external practices. In the world of Jesus, personal integrity is esteemed above ritual purity, calling us to a deeper, inner transformation.
Today’s verse of the Gospel is all the more relevant to the Church: “Oh, blind Pharisee! First, purify the inside of the cup so that what is outside it may become clean.”