From: Matthew 23:27-32

Jesus Indicts the Scribes and Pharisees (Continuation)

(Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees,) [27] "Woe to you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like white-washed tombs, which
outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's
bones and all uncleanness. [28] So you also outwardly appear righteous
to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

[29] "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the
tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, [30]
saying, `If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have
taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' [31] Thus
you witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered
the prophets. [32] Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers."

Commentary:

27-28. The Jews used to whitewash tombs annually, shortly before the
feast of the Passover. The whitewash made the tombs more visible and
helped to avoid people brushing against them, which would have meant
incurring legal uncleanness for seven days (Numbers 19:16; Luke
11:44).

In the sunlight, these tombs sparkled radiantly white, but inside they
held corruption.

29-32. Our Lord shows them that they are cut off from the same cloth
as their ancestors--not because they erect mausoleums in honor of
prophets and just men but because they are guilty of the same sin as
those who killed the prophets. Hence their hypocrisy, which makes them
even worse than their fathers. With pained irony Jesus tells them that
they are compounding the sins of their ancestors.

Clearly this is referring to His passion and death: if the ancients
killed the prophets, by causing Him to suffer and die our Lord's
contemporaries will still be more cruel.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Mass Readings

First reading	2 Thessalonians 3:6 - 18 ©
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we urge you, brothers, to keep away from any of the brothers who refuses to work or to live according to the tradition we passed on to you. You know how you are supposed to imitate us: now we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we ever have our meals at anyone’s table without paying for them; no, we worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to be a burden on any of you. This was not because we had no right to be, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow. We gave you a rule when we were with you: do not let anyone have any food if he refuses to do any work. May the Lord of peace himself give you peace all the time and in every way. The Lord be with you all. From me, PAUL, these greetings in my own handwriting, which is the mark of genuineness in every letter; this is my own writing. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

First reading

2 Thessalonians 3:6 - 18 ©

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we urge you, brothers, to keep away from any of the brothers who refuses to work or to live according to the tradition we passed on to you.
You know how you are supposed to imitate us: now we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we ever have our meals at anyone’s table without paying for them; no, we worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to be a burden on any of you. This was not because we had no right to be, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow.
We gave you a rule when we were with you: do not let anyone have any food if he refuses to do any work. May the Lord of peace himself give you peace all the time and in every way. The Lord be with you all.
From me, PAUL, these greetings in my own handwriting, which is the mark of genuineness in every letter; this is my own writing. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 127

Gospel	Matthew 23:27 - 32 ©
Jesus said, ‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who are like whitewashed tombs that look handsome on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of corruption. In the same way you appear to people from the outside like good honest men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. ‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who build the sepulchres of the prophets and decorate the tombs of holy men, saying, “We would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets, had we lived in our fathers’ day”. So! Your own evidence tells against you! You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets! Very well then, finish off the work that your fathers began.’

Gospel

Jesus said, ‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who are like whitewashed tombs that look handsome on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of corruption. In the same way you appear to people from the outside like good honest men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who build the sepulchres of the prophets and decorate the tombs of holy men, saying, “We would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets, had we lived in our fathers’ day”. So! Your own evidence tells against you! You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets! Very well then, finish off the work that your fathers began.’