By Santhiya Philomone csc –
Readings: 1Thes 2:9-13; Mt 23:27-32
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus rebukes the scribes and Pharisees saying, “woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites!”
This act of Jesus from today’s gospel reminds me to look at my inner self, rather than my outer one that glitters to others. It is also a personal invitation for me, “to be as I am”. I am a child of God, born in his image and likeness. As I reflect on my life, keeping these essential things in my mind, I recollect that sometimes I too was like the scribes and Pharisees, happy about my glittering outer look and more worried about what others may say or think about me, rather than looking at my inner self.
As a Christian, I have two purposes in life, that is “to make God known and served” and to “represent Christ”, which means to live the life of Jesus Christ as a true Christian. In today’s gospel reading, my good Lord is asking me to keep these two purposes active and alive and actualize in the daily events.