First Reading - 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5,8-10
Gospel - Matthew 23:13-22
In the first reading, Paul praises the Thessalonians for the way the Gospel has taken root in their lives. Their faith was not just words; it was power, conviction, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Their witness became so strong that others were inspired to turn away from idols and serve the living and true God. This shows us that genuine faith is not confined to church walls or religious practices—it radiates into daily life and becomes a testimony that touches others.
In the Gospel, Jesus confronts the scribes and Pharisees who had turned religion into a matter of appearances and rules, rather than a living relationship with God. He condemns their hypocrisy: they emphasized oaths and external practices but missed the heart of faith—justice, mercy, and fidelity. Jesus warns us that it is possible to look religious on the outside yet be far from God on the inside.
Dear friends, the readings challenge us to ask: What kind of faith do I live? Is it a faith of words only, or a faith that transforms my heart and actions? Do people see in me the love, joy, and power of the Gospel, or do they see only an outward show of religion?
Authentic faith is not about empty rituals or impressive appearances. It is about surrender to God, openness to the Spirit, and consistency between what we profess and how we live. It is a faith that refuses to settle for hypocrisy but seeks to bear fruit in love, humility, and integrity.
Let us pray, then, that our faith may resemble that of the Thessalonians—full of conviction, lived out in daily life, and shining as a light for others. And let us allow Jesus to purify us of every trace of hypocrisy, so that what we believe with our lips we may live with our lives. For only such faith endures, and only such faith draws us closer to the God who is faithful and true.
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