Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

  Wednesday – 21 st Week in Ordinary Time Gospel - Matthew 23:27-32 Whitewashed Tombs Ancient Cemetery Outside Jerusalem There’s a story about a preacher who was accused of not practicing what he preached.   He responded; “Well, at least I don’t preach what I practice.”   Hypocrite!   It comes from a Greek word for “actor”, someone who put on a show for others.   Someone who acts a part and pretends to be good just for admiration and applause!   If you thought Jesus was blunt in yesterday’s Gospel, today goes way beyond!   The Pharisees and Scribes are like whitewashed tombs with only dead men’s bones and filth inside.   The Jews believed that contact with the dead automatically made you unclean; so the tombs were painted white to warn the people away, to prevent them from touching the stones.   So the Pharisees only appear righteous but they are ultimately only concerned with themselves!   But why such harsh words? ...

  Tuesday – 21 st Week in Ordinary Time Gospel: Matthew 23:23-26 Rotten on the Inside Spice Market, Jerusalem One thing I am looking forward to in the next planting season is expanding our garden!   For 40 years we made do with a modest garden: green peppers, tomatoes, a few herbs and zucchini (usually 3 plants).   But now we have a lot more room, acres of room!   So this will take a lot of planning if we hope to get a bumper crop next time around. But I have to remember that not every zucchini on the vine is a good one!   Every once in a while, I get a bad one.   And the problem is you never see it coming.   On the outside, all looks great, perfect.   But then I cut it open and the zucchini is all rotten on the inside.   And then you have to just throw it away.   Ugh!   A very unpleasant surprise! In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses extremely harsh language for the Pharisees and Scribes for being so clean and perfect on t...

  Monday -21 st week in Ordinary Time Gospel – Matthew 23:13-22 The Blind Leading the Blind Western Wall, Jerusalem According to Google, 93 million selfies are taken and uploaded every single day. Among adults 18-24, every third photo they take is a selfie!   The average person takes over 450 selfies every year.   Why do people spend so much time on taking selfies?   Is it image?   Are they so intent on impressing others?   Are they so worried about perception?   Think about it!   With selfies, we are the ones who control our image.   We can appear any way we want, whether it’s truthful or fanciful!   We control how others see us! Is that any different with the Scribes and Pharisees in today’s Gospel reading?   Jesus calls them ‘blind guides’.   Consumed with pride and greed, they are more concerned with appearances and gold than with the faith of the people.   They maintain control over the Temple by demandi...