The WORD today reminds me that what makes a person unclean does not come from the outside, rather, from the inside.
It is easy to appear good to other people. Superficial level. Surface level. Mukhang mabait, mukhang magalang. Mukhang matulungin. It is easy to organize and attend socio civic activities that alleviate poverty. It is easy to organize fundraising activities for our less fortunate brothers and sisters. It is easy to attend prayer gatherings and appear holy. However, doing these things do not necessarily mean that goodness is inside the person.
In the gospel, Jesus warns us not to be like the scribes and Pharisees who look good and clean outside, but dirty inside. It is easy to appear righteous to others even if the inside - what are in our thoughts, minds and actions, are filled with evildoing.
God sees beyond the superficial level.
What makes us clean, or unclean, comes from the inside. Organizing and attending such activities with hidden agenda may make no difference in the surface level. Probably money will still go to the poor even if the intention is not really to help them, but to build up your reputation. Seems the same, but God sees what is in our hearts. God sees if our service to him is genuine or fake. God sees if our worship is pure or not. These things will make us clean or unclean in God’ eyes.
God is reminding us today to check our hearts. Check our reasons and intentions for doing good to others, for worshipping God. Is it really to give back to God, to share our blessings to others, or just for our personal hidden agenda? God sees what others cannot, so we always have to pray that we be guided and our intentions always be pure as we do things for God
Do I always pray that my intentions be pure as I serve God? Do I even reflect to see what my intentions are, or am I satisfied with merely doing things? Do I judge others based on their actions, or do I pray for guidance to discern their intentions? During this pandemic, do I help out other people? What does it tell me about the state of my heart? What are my intentions for doing so?
May we always check our intentions and our hearts as we do things.
Father God,
Thank you for today. thank you for another day to live. Thank you for reminding me that what makes me unclean comes from inside. Lord, sorry for the times I am contented with superficial goodness. Sorry for focusing on what others see. I ask that you help me purify my intentions as I serve you, as I do things for you. I know it is easy to get distracted in this world. May I always put the focus on you, and may my reason for doing these things be to praise and glorify you, not myself. Help me clean my heart and may it move me to be a blessing to other people as well. Amen.
Blessed Day!
In Christ,
-g-
August 25, 2020
Tuesday of Week 21; St. Louis of France
FIRST READING
We ask you, brothers and sisters, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no one deceive you in any way.
To this end he has also called you through our Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.
To this end he has also called you through our Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them 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. (13b) 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. (13b) 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. (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. (13b) 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. (13b) 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. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.
ALLELUIA
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Jesus said:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.”
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.”
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