“BLIND FOOLS, WHICH IS GREATER, THE GOLD, OR THE TEMPLE THAT MADE THE GOLD SACRED?” MT 23:13-22
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
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.” MT 23:13-22
The scribes and Pharisees wanted to put Jesus to death because they thought He was blaspheming calling Himself the Messiah. Today, Jesus reveals maybe even a bigger reason they wanted Him dead. Money. The scribes and Pharisees were making some good kick backs on those selling in the temple and those giving to the temple.
Basically, they were caught up in money and power and Jesus was furious. The temple is His Father’s house and He was coming to die for these people and all of humanity. It is easy to get caught up in popularity, money, and power. I think everyone goes through phases making these earthly things more important than God. Eventually, most people figure out that these are not the most important things in life. Sadly, some do not and we are called to evangelize them.
Our heart’s greatest longing is heaven. Holiness equals happiness. The altar today is where Jesus Christ offers up our prayers, works, joys, and sufferings through the cross to the Father in return for grace to be holy. At the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, God brings us back to the foot of the cross where we can offer up anything to our Lord. If we do bring money to the altar, may it be the grateful response to God for all He has given to us (which is everything; our lives are a gift given to us by Him).
Today’s challenge: When you go to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass this week, don’t forget to bring your heart to the altar. Anything that is going on in your life, good or bad, offer it up to Jesus on the altar during Mass. It is a beautiful gift God has given to us to be able to have an opening into heaven on the altar, use this gift. When you give to the Church you are giving to God in thanksgiving for what you have received. Everything we have comes from God including our very existence. We have a lot to be thankful for!
Be a servant, become a saint!
#Christian YOLO
Joyfully sacrifice for another today!
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