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Gospel Reading for August 25, 2026 – Matthew 23: 23-26
LACKS HEART
Jesus said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.”
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“Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!”
During Jesus’ time, devout Jews would carefully strain their drinking water to remove even the tiniest insects, such as gnats, so they would not accidentally violate the religious law. Yet while they were meticulous about these small details, they overlooked the far greater matters of the law—the “camel”—justice, mercy, and fidelity.
Their religion had become largely external. They prayed, fasted, and gave alms, not out of love for God, but to be seen and praised by others. Jesus compared them to whitewashed tombs: beautiful and spotless on the outside, but filled with decay and dead bones within.
That is why Jesus called them hypocrites. The word originally referred to stage actors who wore masks, hiding their true identity behind a performance.
This Gospel invites us to examine our own faith. Do we practice our religion merely through outward rituals and appearances, or does it come from a heart that truly loves God and neighbor?
When our practice of religion LACKS HEART, Jesus is telling us something through this Gospel.
Lord Jesus, help us not only to perform religious duties, but to live your ways with sincere hearts. Amen.
