First Reading
Malachi 1:14b-2:2b, 8-10
A great King am I, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations. And now, O priests, this commandment is for you: If you do not listen, if you do not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse upon you and of your blessing I will make a curse. You have turned aside from the way, and have caused many to falter by your instruction; you have made void the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts. I, therefore, have made you contemptible and base before all the people, since you do not keep my ways, but show partiality in your decisions. Have we not all the one father? Has not the one God created us? Why then do we break faith with one another, violating the covenant of our fathers?
Second Reading
1 Thessalonians 2:7b-9, 13
Brothers and sisters: We were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children. With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us. You recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery. Working night and day in order not to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe.
Gospel Cycle Cycle A
Matthew 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.”
The Prophet Malachi asks us today in the first reading: Why do we break faith with one another? We break faith with God and with one another and with ourselves. This is our human experience over all of the centuries. It should never surprise us. Yet we are called to keep faith with God, with one another and with ourselves.
The Gospel of Matthew today reminds us that the greatest is the one who serves. This calls us to examine our consciences towards God, towards one another and towards ourselves. We can find that we don’t always like serving—and that is normal. The challenge is to choose serving, not necessarily to like it. We can find that we break faith with God and others and ourselves—and that is normal. The challenge is to renew our faith, to repent and to ask pardon.
We can take Saint Paul as an example today. He shows us how to live. The First Letter to the Thessalonians tells us that Paul was gentle, had affection for others and was willing to work day and night for the good of others. Perhaps we will not measure up to those standards but they can set the goal for us each day.
We are all one in Christ! Each day and especially on Sundays we are invited to deepen that relationship in Christ, with one another and also with ourselves. We come to celebrate Eucharist to renew these relationships and to know once again the love that Christ has for us. Like all love, we can become accustomed to how things are and forget the incredible gift that comes to us with love.
When we ask ourselves if we have broken faith, it is not because we want to think badly of ourselves or condemn ourselves. Instead, it is an invitation to renew our covenants and to allow God to work ever more profoundly within us. We come for healing, not for condemnation.
When we ask ourselves if we serve, it is not to think badly of ourselves when we see that we have been self-serving and not serving others. Rather, it is an invitation to start serving once again and to rejoice in the serving even when we may not want to serve. We rejoice because we know that we are trying to do what our Lord and Master has asked of us.
This Sunday is a time of refreshment in the Lord. It is a time to give thanks, to celebrate Eucharist, to delight in God’s love. Yes, we always begin with penitence, because we want to love more. Yet we don’t stay at the level of penitence. We are invited to live as Christ’s own friends and His beloved. Let us rejoice in the Lord.