BEADS OF JOY 08-23-16
“Scribes, Pharisees, Hypocrites!”
©2016 James Dacey, Jr. OFS
My Friends,
Today’s Gospel:
Matthew 23:23-26
(Scribes, Pharisees, Hypocrites!)
“Woe
to you, Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill
and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and
mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You
blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! "Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites! for
you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full
of extortion and rapacity. You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the
cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean.”Reflection:
So do you still think us Catholics are a bunch of wimps; with a leader and Lord who is scared and too Holy to speak boldly with the truth? This is why I am a strong solid Catholic, I have a strong Lord who stands for the truth and if you are a “Hypocrite” He calls you out, especially if you are a leader. Check out the video below. I know it’s just a reenactment, but it’s powerful. This must have been an amazing breath-taking scene in Jesus’ time to witness. These pride-filled contempt leaders were more self-consumed in their own lives, rather than that of the poor and needy. Their fine clothing and where they sat was of great concern to them, how shallow, how sad.
God’s laws are rooted in love and if you are a teacher, a leader guiding others in God’s love, you must be humble and loving also. To truly love someone is sacrificial, look at how much God loves us; He gave is Only Begotten Son. If you wish to be a leader, a teacher of the law; you must learn to be humble in that you are not above the law, but you to, are also a respecter of the law. Your example is a great asset to what you teach, your example speaks louder than your words. In today’s gospel, Jesus seen what the Scribes and Pharisees were doing; obviously most everyone knew these things, but Jesus was the one who stepped forward to boldly publicly make it known.
Let us ask in prayer each day, that we don’t become “fake” Catholics, or “phony” religious like the Scribes and Pharisees were. We have way too many phony people already in this world today. Instead let us be real and true to ourselves and to God. He alone deserves our honest true self. We are not here on this earth to puff up ourselves with pride and selfishness, what a waste of time that is. Instead let us use this time to love our Lord with all our hearts and do all we can to spread that love with others. That my sisters and brothers is truly the best use of our time. Everything else in my opinion is frivolous and a waste of time. You want success and money and things and vacations around the world, fantastic; just don’t forget the poor and needy, God has placed them there for us to take care of them. See you tomorrow.
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
