2nd Week of Lent
07th March 2023 (Tuesday) Readings and Reflection
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Reading of the Day
First Reading: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause. "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
Psalm 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23 (R. 23bc)
R/. To one whose way is blameless, I will show the salvation of God.
Gospel : Matthew 23:1-12
At that time: Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practise. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honour at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the market-places and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Wash and walk!
Indicative: Repentance is the recurrent clarion call for all of us always and especially in this holy season of Lent. Let us hearken to this call{alertSuccess}
1. God urges us through His prophet Isaiah to listen to His instruction, repent, return to Him, cleanse ourselves and live integrally. He says, “Listen to the instruction of the Lord. Wash yourselves clean. Cease doing evil and learn to do good”
2. Concretely it implies avoiding hypocrisy in the light of the gospel. Jesus explicitly refers to the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes and admonishes the people not to fall into the same evil. They do not practise what they teach and preach to others. They make heavy demands on others but do not assist them in any way
3. They do a lot of religious activities not out of the genuine intention of devotion and fidelity to God. Rather it is all for recognition and applause. They lack interiority and depth. What is all the more deplorable is their lack of humility
4. They seek places of honour, titles, and salutations like ‘Rabbi’. All their actions are pretentious and self-directed for self-glory. They easily forget the truth that all of us are only brethren, disciples, and servants. There is only one Father, Supreme Teacher, and Master, the Christ
5. The same danger of hypocrisy is very real in our times as well. There are many traces of hypocrisy and inauthenticity among the present followers of Christ. We must bear in mind that God condones our weaknesses if we are humble and repentant. But He detests our lack of humility and integrity
6. The Lord is ready to cleanse us and restore us to an abundance of blessings if we return to him. Our sins may be grievous like scarlet and crimson red. But He will purify and whiten us as snow and wool. If we are willing and obey, He will bless us
7. But, if we refuse and resist, we will be consumed. If we humble ourselves, we will be exalted. But if we exalt ourselves, we will be humbled. Let us keep aside our pride and hypocrisy. Let us learn to be humble and authentic. Let us grow in righteousness
Imperative: Let us combat our self-righteousness so as to become righteous. Let us strive to live what we believe and learn, teach, and demand from others{alertSuccess}