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 Phari-
sees, 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 hypo-
crisy 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 shed-
ding 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 mea-
sure of your fathers.”

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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 unclean-
ness for seven days (Numbers 19:16; Luke 11:44).

In the sunlight, these tombs sparkled radiantly white, but inside they held cor-
ruption.

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 pro-
phets. 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 pro-
phets, by causing Him to suffer and die our Lord’s contemporaries will still be
more cruel.

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: White.

These are the readings for the feria

First reading
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 ©

We slaved night and day so as not to be a burden on any one of you

Let me remind you, brothers, how hard we used to work, slaving night and day so as not to be a burden on any one of you while we were proclaiming God’s Good News to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, that our treatment of you, since you became believers, has been impeccably right and fair. You can remember how we treated every one of you as a father treats his children, teaching you what was right, encouraging you and appealing to you to live a life worthy of God, who is calling you to share the glory of his kingdom. Another reason why we constantly thank God for you is that as soon as you heard the message that we brought you as God’s message, you accepted it for what it really is, God’s message and not some human thinking; and it is still a living power among you who believe it.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 138(139):7-12 ©

O Lord, you search me and you know me.

O where can I go from your spirit,

or where can I flee from your face?

If I climb the heavens, you are there.

If I lie in the grave, you are there.

O Lord, you search me and you know me.

If I take the wings of the dawn

and dwell at the sea’s furthest end,

even there your hand would lead me,

your right hand would hold me fast.

O Lord, you search me and you know me.

If I say: ‘Let the darkness hide me

and the light around me be night,’

even darkness is not dark for you

and the night is as clear as the day.

O Lord, you search me and you know me.

Gospel Acclamation	Mt4:4

Alleluia, alleluia!

Man does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Alleluia!

Or:	1Jn2:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

Whenever anyone obeys what Christ has said,

God’s love comes to perfection in him.

Alleluia!

Gospel
Matthew 23:27-32 ©

You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets

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.’

These are the readings for the memorial

First reading	1 John 4:7-16 ©

Let us love one another, since love comes from God

My dear people,

let us love one another

since love comes from God

and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

Anyone who fails to love can never have known God,

because God is love.

God’s love for us was revealed

when God sent into the world his only Son

so that we could have life through him;

this is the love I mean:

not our love for God,

but God’s love for us when he sent his Son

to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.

My dear people,

since God has loved us so much,

we too should love one another.

No one has ever seen God;

but as long as we love one another

God will live in us

and his love will be complete in us.

We can know that we are living in him

and he is living in us

because he lets us share his Spirit.

We ourselves saw and we testify

that the Father sent his Son

as saviour of the world.

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,

God lives in him, and he in God.

We ourselves have known and put our faith in

God’s love towards ourselves.

God is love

and anyone who lives in love lives in God,

and God lives in him.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 118(119):9-14 ©

Lord, teach me your statutes.

How shall the young remain sinless?

By obeying your word.

I have sought you with all my heart;

let me not stray from your commands.

Lord, teach me your statutes.

I treasure your promise in my heart

lest I sin against you.

Blessed are you, O Lord;

teach me your statutes.

Lord, teach me your statutes.

With my tongue I have recounted

the decrees of your lips.

I rejoiced to do your will

as though all riches were mine.

Lord, teach me your statutes.

Gospel Acclamation	Mt23:9,10

Alleluia, alleluia!

You have only one Father,

and he is in heaven;

you have only one Teacher,

the Christ.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Matthew 23:8-12 ©

The greatest among you must be your servant

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘You must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will exalted.’