Monday, August 27th 2018

Memorial of Saint Monica

LECTIONARY
425

FIRST READING
2 THES1:1-5, 11-12

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians
in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters,
as is fitting, because your faith flourishes ever more,
and the love of every one of you for one another grows ever greater.
Accordingly, we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God
regarding your endurance and faith in all your persecutions
and the afflictions you endure.

This is evidence of the just judgment of God,
so that you may be considered worthy of the Kingdom of God
for which you are suffering.

We always pray for you,
that our God may make you worthy of his calling
and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose
and every effort of faith,
that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,
and you in him,
in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.

PSALM
PS 96:1-2A, 2B-3, 4-5

Response: Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.

Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.

For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.

GOSPEL
MT 23:13-22

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and land to make one convert,
and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna
twice as much as yourselves.

"Woe to you, blind guides, who say,
'If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.'
Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.'
You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,
or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;
one who swears by the temple swears by it
and by him who dwells in it;
one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God
and by him who is seated on it."

Daily Reflection

27th August 2018 - St Monica

The Scribes and Pharisees, in the time of Jesus, were bad shepherds! They placed burdens and responsibilities on the poor ordinary believer and painted a very hard-hearted image of God. They made God inaccessible and unattainable, someone who had to be appeased with offerings and sacrifices.

In the Gospel today, Jesus points out that the religious authorities and experts have a responsibility and an obligation to lead the faithful to deepen their faith experience, through their teaching and their example. Pope Francis beautifully explains this saying, the shepherds should – smell of, be one with, and care for – their sheep.

The love and concern, advice and encouragement, and of course the blessings and prayers that Paul shows the Thessalonians, bear witness to the kind of shepherds Jesus spoke of.

St Monica, who we remember today, is an example of one who in her own little way shepherded her son (St Augustine) in his initial days, and even later, when he had gone astray, she continued through her prayerful life dedicated to his reformation.