Thess 1:1-5,8-10
Matt. 23:13-22
THE LORD TAKES DELIGHT IN HIS PEOPLE
Today’s liturgy and readings offer us a sharp difference between faithful believers and those who practice religion falsely. First of all, we celebrate the feast of St. Augustine, a great saint
that made profound contributions to the Church, a gifted philosopher and theologian.. He is best known for his philosophical works, the Confessions and City of God. He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1308.
We all know stories of ‘bad boy’ Augustine! His early life was filled with
sinfulness and revelry. Augustine led a wayward life and he would not have realized his potential if not for the prayers of his mother St. Monica who prayed fervently for his conversion.
After his conversion, he was baptized and well-groomed in the Catholic faith by St. Ambrose who had a deep influence on his life.
Today’s first reading is the opening of St. Paul’s letter to the Church in Thessaloniki. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy gave worthy praise to this community for their unceasing faith, constant love, and enduring hope.
On the contrary, Jesus in today’s Gospel rebukes the religious leaders of His day who show their real spirit by their holier-than-thou behavior.
We are all frail humans, we make rash decisions, we jump to conclusions, we are sinful and we all need to remember the woes that our Lord speaks of as a warning to them. We need to be more careful and allow the joy and peace of the Lord to be our strength. For the Lord takes delight in His people.
Fr Joseph Osho
