First Reading - Ezekiel 43:1-7
Gospel - Matthew 23:1-12
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In the first reading, Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord returning to the Temple. The glory of God had departed because of the people's unfaithfulness, but now Ezekiel sees it coming back. The presence of God once again fills the Temple, and the Lord says, “This is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet, where I will dwell among the Israelites forever.”
It is a beautiful image of restoration. God desires to dwell among his people. Even after their failures, God does not abandon them. He comes back and makes his presence known.
But the Gospel challenges us to ask: what kind of dwelling place does God find when he comes to us?
Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees because they teach others but do not practice what they preach. They are concerned with appearances, titles, positions, and recognition. They want to be seen as important. They make their religious practices visible, but their hearts are not transformed.
Jesus says, “They preach but they do not practice.”
This is a powerful warning because it is possible to look religious without allowing God to change us. We can say the right prayers, attend Mass, speak about faith, and even teach others, while our hearts remain filled with pride, resentment, jealousy, or the desire for recognition.
The problem Jesus identifies is not religious practice itself. The problem is the gap between what we say and how we live.
The first reading shows us the glory of God entering the Temple. The Gospel reminds us that God does not want only a beautiful external Temple; he wants a heart in which his presence can truly dwell.
Jesus then gives his disciples a different model of greatness: “The greatest among you must be your servant.” This completely changes the way the world understands greatness.
The world often tells us that greatness means being above others, having authority, receiving recognition, or being served. Jesus tells us that greatness means serving.
This is especially important for anyone who has responsibility over others. Whether in the family, Church, community, workplace, or ministry, authority is not given to make us important. It is given to enable us to serve.
A true Christian leader does not constantly ask, “How can others recognize me?” but rather, “How can I help others?” The closer we come to Christ, the less concerned we become with titles and recognition and the more concerned we become with service.
There is also a warning here for all of us. We can easily become concerned about how others see us. We want to appear successful, holy, generous, knowledgeable, or important. But God sees beyond appearances. He sees the heart.
The question, therefore, is not simply: “What do people think about me?” The more important question is: “What does God see in me?”
When God's glory enters the Temple in Ezekiel, everything changes because God's presence is there. In the same way, when God's presence truly enters our lives, our priorities begin to change. Pride gives way to humility. Competition gives way to service. The desire to be praised gives way to the desire to help. And the need to be served gives way to the willingness to serve.
Perhaps today the Lord is inviting us to make a little examination of our hearts. Is there a difference between the person I appear to be and the person I really am? Do I seek recognition more than service? Do I expect others to follow my words while I fail to live them myself?
The good news is that God does not ask us to become perfect before he comes to us. He wants to enter our lives precisely so that he can transform us.
May the glory of the Lord return to the temple of our hearts. May his presence make us humble, authentic, and generous. And may we never forget the words of Jesus: “The greatest among you must be your servant.”
For the true sign that God dwells within us is not how impressive we appear before others, but how faithfully we serve them.
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