Do Whatever He Tells You

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that all of us may have experienced someone in leadership, authority, or government that is reckless with their words, questionable with their character, and not quite the moral example we’d all like to be. That’s all I will say about that! Today, Jesus reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on the authority of God and not to get it confused with the imperfections of men. The law was established to guide us not to weigh us down. God’s laws should free us to love more deeply by harnessing the things in our life that keep us away from God. So, if the law starts turning our eyes away from God and onto the pomp and circumstance or any of the other bells and whistles that superfluous religiosity can induce, we need to step back and humble ourselves. Humility means more of God and less of us. One can still be in a high profile position and be humble. Humility points people to God like the Blessed Mother did at the wedding feast at Cana, “Do whatever he tells you.” 

It’s good to be reminded who we should model our lives after, “You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” 

Admittedly, it’s hard to be inspired by today’s gospel. All I know is that God’s love is perfect and His authority trumps all (hee hee, see what I did there!). How do we know what God’s plan is for us? Read His Word and read it often. Let it speak to you. Let it reveal His heart. Let it show you how to live. Let it change your heart to be more like His. He established order in this world to free us to love like Him. I know the world is in a bit of a panic right now with all the uncertainty of the coronavirus and the hostility of elections season and well, questionable reckless leadership, but the good news is that Jesus wants us to humble ourselves and serve so we don’t need to worry about any of that, we just need to keep our eyes on Him and what He says is True. I guarantee our future will be much better when we do that. Jesus works all things for the good of those who love Him. 

This gospel is a great reminder that we need to give all glory to God and do as Jesus did. Jesus allowed the law to move His heart into service of others, and to love fiercely because God first loved Him. Let our prayer and service be longer and wider than our tassels and phylacteries so that all will see through our actions that we belong to God. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 IS 1:10, 16-20

Hear the word of the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!

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.

Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!

Responsorial Psalm 50:8-9, 16BC-17, 21 AND 23

R.    (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold.”
R.    To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R.    To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
     Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R.    To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Verse Before The GospelEZ 18:31

Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD,
and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Gospel MT 23:1-12

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”