Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 23: 23-26
Clean on the Outside, Cloudy Within”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus criticises the scribes and Pharisees for worrying about minor details but missing the bigger issues. They tithed even the smallest garden herbs—mint, dill, cumin—yet overlooked “the weightier matters of the law”: justice, mercy, and faith.

We should remember that Jesus is not opposed to careful obedience to the law of Moses. However, when minor religious acts replace the great calls of God, something has gone wrong. A person might spend hours perfecting rituals but neglect the neighbour in need. True religion does not hide in details; it flows outward in love, fairness, and compassion.

Jesus also paints the vivid picture of cleaning only the outside of a cup while leaving the inside filthy. The Pharisees had polished public appearances, but their hearts were stained with greed and self-indulgence. The order matters: if the inside is clean, the outside will follow. But no amount of outward polishing can purify a corrupt heart.

For us, this is a timely mirror. We may find comfort in the familiar routines of faith—attending Mass, saying prayers, following customs—and these are good. But they are meant to lead us deeper into God’s heart. When they become ends in themselves, we risk the same blindness Jesus warned against.

The Christian life is not simply about avoiding sin in public; it is about letting Christ cleanse the hidden corners of our hearts—our motives, desires, and secret thoughts. Justice, mercy, and faith are not optional extras; they are the core of the Gospel.

Today, Jesus calls us to let Him begin the cleansing where it matters most: within. Only then will our outward life truly reflect the God we serve.

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Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025