+ In the gospel passage today Jesus condemns the Pharisees and the scholars of the law for negligence and hypocrisy. They, who ought to have known better, speak and act contrary to what they themselves uphold and teach. Jesus, on the other hand, spoke, acted upon, upheld and taught the one same thing: God's justice, love and mercy!
There are many in the Church today - religious leaders and scholars of the law - who are also guilty of negligence and hypocrisy. Their message and activity are their own – and any bits of God's justice, love and mercy that is proclaimed in spite of them, is so much less than it could be.
In any event God will repay each according to his works, St. Paul reminds the Romans in the first reading today (the Jew first, and then the Greek). The leaders and scholars, the good ones and the bad ones, will get what they deserve, and so will the ones who came under their jurisdiction – who are still responsible for their own actions – and who ought not to have followed the voice of a bad shepherd. The sheep of God's flock know enough to follow the voice of a good and caring shepherd. And, they, if they are good sheep will search and search until they have found such a shepherd to lead them.
Only in God are our souls at rest, he alone is our rock and our salvation, our stronghold. We shall not be disturbed if we trust in him at all times! Lord, give to us according to what our works deserve!
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