25 August 2021

Wednesday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Today’s Gospel reading (Matt 23:27-32) is a continuation of Jesus’ words from Monday’s Gospel. Again, Jesus’ denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees is an opportunity for self- examination and reflection. Today, Jesus calls the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs” and he criticizes them for their self-righteousness in saying that they—unlike their ancestors—would not have persecuted the prophets.

These critiques of the scribes and Pharisees are challenging, since by them Jesus is asking us to reform ourselves interiorly as well as exteriorly. Meditating on Jesus’ words, it is worth asking: do I strive to cultivate charity in thought towards others as well as in my words and deeds? It can be tempting to show outward charity and forbearance toward a person—perhaps a family member or a colleague—while interiorly harboring a grudge or resentment for a wrong, whether real or perceived. If we do this, however, we lay seeds of poison for the evil one to work with. Similarly, if we presume that we would not fall into the temptations that bring others low, we open the gates to pride.

Today, let us ask the Lord for the grace of charity toward others in thought as well as the humility to know that we are not immune to temptation.