Jesus
is justifiably angry today at the scribes and Pharisees who are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing. They
supposedly are the leaders of the Jewish religion, but their practice is always
so far from their teaching. Why is this? They even recognize the error of their
own ancestors’ ways – the religious leaders of old – who likewise judged falsely, and shed the blood of innocent prophets of
God’s word. Yet, they do not correct their ways – and Jesus finds this
reprehensible – and so he tells them to make
good what their ancestors messed up. It is possible. So do it!
Of course, they do not do it,
and they remain in their error – and the people have no one to really lead them in truth and sincerity, in authenticity
and genuineness.
In contrast, in the first
reading today, we have St. Paul encouraging the Thessalonians to live a life worthy of the calling that
was given them: to be God’s family, his children, heirs of heaven with Jesus.
This is more than possible because they do not have mere human and flawed
scribes and Pharisees as guides and leaders, they have the living Presence of
Jesus Himself – and so they can tell that when they hear him, when they hear
the preaching of the true apostles, they are hearing God and they are
accountable and empowered to live out what they hear.
Keeping
the word of Christ can make all the difference in the world for
us today – because this way, the love of
God is made perfect in us – and it emanates and overflows onto others, as
indeed it should.
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