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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider You are like whitewashed tombs

You are like whitewashed tombs

Published Aug 27, 2024 09:32 pm

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Gird your loins

Prophecy and hypocrisy do not go together. The prophets are truth-tellers. The hypocrites hide the truth by fabricating lies, and cover up their lies by making them appear as if they are truthful. 

Today’s Gospel continues Jesus’ ouai over the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus points out how the scribes and the Pharisees would build tombs for the righteous prophets and decorate them as a way to wash their hands of the guilt or, at least, pretend that they did not participate in the killing of the prophets. They are compared to whitewashed tombs (taphoi) (v 27). They appear good, but their hearts are full of wickedness. 

Jesus’ challenge to the scribes and Pharisees, toward having cleaner hearts, is also a challenge to all of us who want to grow in faith. When our hearts are clean, there would be no need for any cover-up. Consequently, truth will be told. Do we tend to cover up our faults? Are we too much concerned of protecting our image? Do we tell the truth, or do we hide it to protect ourselves?

First Reading • 2 Thes 3:6-10, 16-18 

We instruct you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who walks in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. 

For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. 

In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. This greeting is in my own hand, Paul’s. This is the sign in every letter; this is how I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

Gospel • Matthew 23:27-32 

Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing. 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ 

Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; now fill up what your ancestors measured out!”

Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024” E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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