Monday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Or Optional Memorial of Saint Louis of France
Or Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph Calasanz, priest
Matthew 23:13-22
When Religion Wears a Mask”

In Matthew 23, Jesus speaks with what William Barclay calls “the rolling thunder of Christ’s wrath.” Yet even in His stern words, there is sorrow. Jesus is angry not because He hates, but because He loves—His heart breaks over the blindness of those who lead others away from God.

The scribes and Pharisees were masters of religious appearance. Outwardly, they looked holy—meticulous in their observance of rules, wearing symbols of piety for all to see. But inside, their hearts were filled with pride, jealousy, and arrogance. They were actors in the worst sense, wearing masks that hid the truth. For Jesus, true religion is not a performance; it is the humble doing of God’s will, born from love.

Even worse, these leaders blocked others from entering the Kingdom. Instead of leading people to God’s love, they burdened them with human rules. They converted people not to God, but to their own brand of religion. It is a warning for us too: faith is not about winning people to “our side” but bringing them to Christ. The greatest heresy is to think any one group has a monopoly on God.

Finally, Jesus calls out their “science of evasion.” They had built clever systems to dodge the truth, finding loopholes in their oaths and promises. But for the Christian, every word is spoken before God, and every intention is seen by Him. There is no room for technicalities when the heart is dishonest.

This Gospel invites us to remove our masks, to let faith flow from the inside out. It challenges us to be honest in speech, pure in heart, and focused on leading others—not to ourselves or our preferences—but to the living God.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025