Matthew 23:13-22 “in a snailshell”
Monday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time
©️2021 Gloria M. Chang
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’ Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’ You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.”
Matthew 23:13-22
Christ opened the kingdom locked by hypocrites.
Truth unmasked the Gehenna of counterfeits.
Traditional Chinese Translation
《基督開啓了國度》
基督打開了被偽君子鎖住的國度。
真相揭開了虛偽假冒的地獄。
Dear GMC, thank you for your hard-hitting reflection. As I look around, looking for who the hypocrites are, I realize I am one of them. Every time my words say one thing and my actions another, I am one of them. Every time I rush by someone or something that I should be rushing to, I am one of them. Every time and the list goes on, I am one of them. But every time, Christ unlocks the kingdom and offers us Himself and we accept, we are one of His. May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts. Our Lady of China, pray for us now and at the hour of our death and help us to pray for one another, and have the truth set us free, together!
“Which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?”
From the altar of my heart,
I bow low in reverence.
From the altar of my hands,
I raise my palms in praise.
From the altar of my mind,
I beg for pure thoughts.
From the altar of my lips,
I call, “Abba, Father.”
Amen!
Locked hearts made of stone,
False starts based on pride.
God’s love hammers away,
Creating doors on every side.
May God’s Spirit of Love transform stone
Hearts that resist Christ’s heavenly throne.