There are strong words from Isaiah on his people and their rulers.

He calls the leaders of God’s people “rulers of Sodom” and speaks of the people as “people of Gomorrah”.

“One of the most notable and original features of the teaching of the Hebrew prophets is their repeated insistence

that the Lord is more concerned with men’s behavior in their social relationships than with the formal worship offered to him” .

  

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Isaiah 1:10, 16-20

Hear the warning of Yahweh,

Rulers of Sodom. Listen to the word of God, people of Gomorrah."

Wash and make yourselves clean. Remove from my sight the evil of your deeds. Put an end to your wickedness and learn to do good. Seek justice and keep in line the abusers; give the fatherless their rights and defend the widow."

"Come," says Yahweh, "let us reason together. Though your sins be like scarlet, they will be white as snow; though they be as crimson red, they will be white as wool.

If you will obey me, you will eat the goods of the earth; but if you resist and rebel, the sword will eat you instead." Truly Yahweh has spoken.

 

Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23 To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Matthew 23:1-12

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees have sat down on the chair of Moses. So you shall do and observe all they say; but do not do as they do, for they do not do what they say. They tie up heavy burdens and load them on the shoulders of the people, but they do not even lift a finger to move them. They do everything in order to be seen by people:

 

They wear very wide bands of the law around their foreheads, and robes with large tassels. They enjoy the first places at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and they like being greeted in the marketplace, and being called 'Master' by the people.

But you, do not let yourselves be called Master, because you have only one Master, and all of you are brothers and sisters. Neither should you call anyone on earth Father, because you have only one Father, he who is in heaven. Nor should you be called Leader, because Christ is the only Leader for you. Let the greatest among you be the servant of all. For whoever makes himself great shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be made great.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Self focus."

Our everyday practice of mercy toward the other certainly will help us to go out of ourselves. Whether we admit it or not, there are many things we do every day which focus only on the self. There are even times when we tend to add more burdens on others rather than help them carry the burdens they have because of our self-securing attitude.

 

Self-focus is what may separate a good teaching from a good practice. One may teach good things without practicing them because of too much self-focus. This tendency may happen even in our life of faith. Expressions of our faith should lead us out of such self-focus. However, even in our life of faith, there are times when we cannot shift the focus from the self to God. Hence, we tend to put others down rather than raise them up. In the Gospel for today, Jesus cautioned the people to listen to what the Pharisees and the teachers of the law say but not to follow their examples. These religious

leaders led a split-level life because they failed to keep the focus on the Lord. Falling into temptation of self-focus, they served no one but themselves.