'Living Lent': Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent - Day 14

PRAY:
"Wash yourselves clean Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow." (Isaiah 1:16-17)

READING: Matthew 23:1-12

1 Then addressing the crowds and his disciples Jesus said,

2 'The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses.

3 You must therefore do and observe what they tell you; but do not be guided by what they do, since they do not practise what they preach.

4 They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people's shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they!

5 Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader headbands and longer tassels,

6 like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues,

7 being greeted respectfully in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.

8 'You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one Master, and you are all brothers.

9 You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven.

10 Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ.

11 The greatest among you must be your servant.

12 Anyone who raises himself up will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be raised up.


MEDITATION:
A hypocrite is a person whose actions do not match their words. In what ways have my actions fallen short of my words?

LET US PRAY:
Lord, give me the humility to see within myself the times when I fall short of your expectations. Help me to see your within others, and to forgive as you have forgiven me.

ACTION:
I will seek within my heart to recall those times I have been hypocritical. I will confess these to my confessor and I will seek to amend my ways.