2Thess 2:1-3,14-16/Psa 96:10-13/Matt 23:23-26.
The Gospel Reading is composed of the second part of the seven woe-sayings in Matt 23,13-39.
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In the present woe-sayings, we observe that Jesus moved into particularities regarding the actions of the Scribes and Pharisees.
He speaks more in specific terms or with concrete examples.
He continues to call the Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites or people who claimed to be somebody they were not.
Furthermore he calls them once more “blind guides”, thus portraying them as people who do not know where they were leading their followers.
When a person is blind, he/she is not in a position to lead others.
In Luke 6,39 Jesus asked “can one blind person guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit.”
It is clear then that the Scribes and Pharisees were leading those following them into a pit of darkness and not to the kingdom of heaven.
The criticism that Jesus puts forth against the Scribes and Pharisees shows how they were particular about certain details of the Law but not others.
That is to say they did not pay equal attention to the content of all the precepts of the Law.
They elaborated or exaggerated those that were convenient for them, but in other matters they paid little
attention.
Jesus considered those things to which they did not pay attention, to be the weightier or more important matters of the Law.
For Jesus, any good teacher or guide of the Law should pay attention to matters concerning justice, mercy and good faith.
If they pay attention to these things,they would be concerned more with what comes from within than from outside.
They would be careful not to extort from the poor and the needy who followed them.
They would also learn to practice moderation in what they do themselves.
What Jesus tells the Scribes and Pharisees is a warning to all of us since each Christian is a leader in one way or the other.
We all have the mission to lead others to the faith.
Jesus invites us to carry out this mission in faithfulness to the integrity of the Gospel message.
We should not tailor out mission to our own likings and personal interests.
The First Reading reminds us of the need to keep faithfully the traditions that we have been taught so that God may strengthen us in every good thing that we do or say.
This is what will give honour to God and make us worthy of the heavenly kingdom.Amen.
