Daily Readings August 28, 2012

Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

We just read yesterday about St. Monica, his mother.  Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church.

Pope Leo I, during whose pontificate Augustine was canonized, ordered that the feast of this saint should be observed with the same honors as that of an Apostle. In every succeeding age his memory has been held in the highest veneration and his writings have been an inspiration to Catholics and non-Catholics alike....Read more.  To come back, hit the back button.

Lectionary: 426

Reading 1 2 Thes 2:1-3a, 14-17

We are still visiting with St. Paul and the Thessalonians.

We ask you, brothers and sisters,with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christand our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly,or to be alarmed either by a 'spirit,' or by an oral statement,or by a letter allegedly from usto the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.Let no one deceive you in any way.

Two things here.  Apparently, the Thessalonians were concerned that the Final Judgement was imminent.  In addition, someone was passing along false information attributed to the Apostles, concerning the Final Judgement.

To this end he has also called you through our Gospelto possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firmand hold fast to the traditions that you were taught,either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.

And so, St. Paul says, don't listen to those who claim to be speaking for us.  We have spoken to you directly and we have sent you written correspondence.  Stand firm and hold on to those Traditions which we have given you.

This is, of course, the biggest evidence against the doctrine of Scripture alone.  That false doctrine says that we should not hold on to oral traditions but must only hold to Scripture.  Yet, here, Scripture says explicitly that we must hold on to all forms of Tradition which the Apostles passed down.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace,encourage your hearts and strengthen themin every good deed and word.

And then he prays for them to receive continual blessing and strength from Our Lord Jesus Christ and Our Heavenly Father.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:10, 11-12, 13

Response. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.

R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.

R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.

R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.

God is our Judge.  That is the lesson of all of Scripture.  Have you ever been approached by someone who asks you, "Are you saved?"  They frequently confuse us because when we respond according to the Scripture, "I don't know."  Yes.  That is what Scripture says.  We are not our own judges.  Only God knows whether we are saved.  But they get upset when we inform them of this truth.

You see, the reason they ask this question is because they don't know Scripture.  There are literally hundreds of verses in Scripture which say that God is our judge.  Even some that say that the Church is our judge also.  And one that says the rulers of the Church will judge even the angels.  But not even one which says that we are our own personal judges.  I'm speaking of salvation here.  Nowhere does Scripture say that you can proclaim yourself saved because you believe you merit that salvation on the basis of faith alone or of faith and works or of works alone.  NOWHERE.

This is what Scripture says:

1 Corinthians 4:2-4
King James Version (KJV)
² Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.³ But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.⁴ For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

This is what I tell those who ask me if I am saved.  "With all due respect, what business is it of yours?  God is my Judge and my salvation is His business."  And then I read to them the Scripture I just quoted.  1 Cor 4:2-4.

Gospel Mt 23:23-26

In these verses, Jesus is not holding back but continuing His rebuke of the Pharisees.  

Jesus said:"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin,and have neglected the weightier things of the law:judgment and mercy and fidelity.But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!

Tithes and indulgences.  There are many who will tell you that you are not to give money to the Church because it is like paying your way into heaven.  But here, Jesus says you must not only pay your tithes, but also walk in accordance with the Commandments.  All are equally important.

I think "blind guides" is a reference to another lesson He taught saying:

Matthew 15:14
King James Version (KJV)
¹⁴ Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

"strain out the gnat and swallow the camel" is a summary of the previous lines.  They do the little things, such as paying tithes of spices, but neglect the mercy and love which God truly desires:

Psalm 51:17
King James Version (KJV)
¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Jesus continues: 

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,so that the outside also may be clean."

The cup represents the individual or the Pharisee in this case.  And Jesus is repeating the same rebuke as above concerning the gnat and camel.  We need conversion of heart.  We need to wash the inside of our soul, our spirit.  And then the outside will also be cleansed.

Sincerely,

De Maria