These days we have been listening to some pretty strong words from Jesus directed specifically at the Pharisees and the teachers of the law.

Jesus knew what was in their hearts.

As leaders of the people, they had greater responsibility to live according to God’s heart

and be an inspiration for the people, but they chose otherwise.

In the sacred chamber of their souls, they should have recognized the truth of Jesus’ words and repented;

instead, they hardened their hearts, refusing to accept their guilt and deciding to eliminate Jesus.

 

St. Paul of the Cross, priest

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Romans 3:21-30

But, now it has been revealed

Altogether apart from the Law, as it was already foretold in the Law and the Prophets: God makes us righteous by means of faith in Jesus Christ, and this is applied to all who believe, without distinction of persons. Because all have sinned and all fall short of the glory of God; and all are graciously forgiven and made righteous through the redemption effected in Christ Jesus.

 

For God has given him to be the victim whose blood obtains us forgiveness through faith. So God shows us how he makes us righteous. Past sins are forgiven which God overlooked till now. For now he wants to reveal his way of righteousness: how he is just and how he makes us righteous through faith in Jesus.

 

Then what becomes of our pride? It is excluded. How? Not through the Law and its observances, but through another law which is faith. For we hold that people are in God's grace by faith and not because of all the things ordered by the Law. Otherwise, God would be the God of the Jews; but is he not God of pagan nations as well? Of course he is, for there is only one God and he will save by faith the circumcised Jews as well as the uncircumcised nations.

 

Ps 130:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6ab With the Lord, there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊     

Luke 11:47-54

A curse is on you, for you build monuments to the prophets your ancestors killed. So you approve and agree with what your ancestors did. Is it not so? They got rid of the prophets, and you build monuments to them!" For that reason the Wisdom of God also said: "I will send prophets and apostles and this people will kill and persecute some of them.

 

But the present generation will have to answer for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was murdered between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, the people of this time will have to answer for them all. A curse is on you, teachers of the Law, for you have taken the key of knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you prevented others from entering."

 

As Jesus left that place, the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to harass him, asking him endless questions, setting traps to catch him in something he might say.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"God's grace makes us one."

You can summarize the first reading in three words: unity in faith, Paul is very clear that faith in Christ brings us together as one family, with God as our Father. There is no longer distinction between gentile and Jew, wise and foolish, rich and poor. We are all redeemed sinners, made holy by the grace of God. 

 

But how do we love this unity day by day? So much of the world seems to be focused on how to divide people, highlighting and exacerbating our differences. Social media and other modern means of communication and information sharing allow us to exist in niches where everyone we interact with looks like us and thinks like us. But that is not God's way.

 

Let's be clear: we are not united in God because we are all the same. Rather, God unites us precisely in our diversity so that we can share our diverse gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ. As forgiven sinners, God's grace makes us one, pilgrims on the journey to heaven.