Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share PRI Reflections on Scripture | Monday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
PRI Reflections on Scripture | Monday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel
Matthew 23:13-22
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and land to make one convert,
and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna
twice as much as yourselves.
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say,
‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’
Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’
You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,
or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;
one who swears by the temple swears by it
and by him who dwells in it;
one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God
and by him who is seated on it.”
Reflection
As a minister of the church today it’s really hard to listen to these woes, these criticisms of the Pharisees and the scribes, and the fact that they were playing at being what they were supposed to be. And there's always that temptation when you have a role that exalts you and puts you above others, it's hard to be humble.
It's hard to accept your faults or even talk about them. So the problem with these men were that they were so caught up in a system that gave them automatic authority without earning it, and this was the disaster that happened to the temple. Not only did the Pharisees not lead people to God, but they themselves wouldn't even go near God as he truly is, leaving the impossibility that those who teach could ever find God.
Closing Prayer
Father, help us to understand that we need to face very clearly anything in us that inflates us, that makes us feel better than we are. Integrity, authenticity is what was missing in the scribes and Pharisees. Help that not to happen to us. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
View all episodes
By Msgr. Don Fischer
4.8
139139 ratings
Gospel
Matthew 23:13-22
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and land to make one convert,
and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna
twice as much as yourselves.
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say,
‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’
Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’
You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,
or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;
one who swears by the temple swears by it
and by him who dwells in it;
one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God
and by him who is seated on it.”
Reflection
As a minister of the church today it’s really hard to listen to these woes, these criticisms of the Pharisees and the scribes, and the fact that they were playing at being what they were supposed to be. And there's always that temptation when you have a role that exalts you and puts you above others, it's hard to be humble.
It's hard to accept your faults or even talk about them. So the problem with these men were that they were so caught up in a system that gave them automatic authority without earning it, and this was the disaster that happened to the temple. Not only did the Pharisees not lead people to God, but they themselves wouldn't even go near God as he truly is, leaving the impossibility that those who teach could ever find God.
Closing Prayer
Father, help us to understand that we need to face very clearly anything in us that inflates us, that makes us feel better than we are. Integrity, authenticity is what was missing in the scribes and Pharisees. Help that not to happen to us. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More shows like Finding God In Our Hearts with Msgr. Don Fischer
View all
Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons - Catholic Preaching and Homilies
5,002 Listeners
Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz
6,209 Listeners
10% Happier with Dan Harris
12,709 Listeners
The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
7,667 Listeners
All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri
1,354 Listeners
Catholic Daily Reflections
547 Listeners
The Catholic Talk Show
1,509 Listeners
Daily TV Mass
180 Listeners
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
61,430 Listeners
Catholic Saints
1,188 Listeners
Catholic Bible Study
685 Listeners
Sunday School; A Pillar Bible Study
183 Listeners
The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
11,367 Listeners
The Exorcist Files
5,664 Listeners
The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)
5,339 Listeners