Memorial of St. Monica: Mother of St. Augustine
First Reading: Thessalonians (2:9–13)
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139
Response: “O Lord, You search me and You know me.”
Gospel: Matthew (23:27–32)
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers."
We are called to be sincere, faithful, truthful, and honest in our dealings with one another. There is no need to live in hypocrisy.
If you have been following the daily Mass readings, you will notice that for the past three days Jesus has been scolding the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. This repetition reveals how strongly He felt about this human behavior. If we substituted ourselves for the Pharisees in these texts, we might find the same patterns within us. Few of us want to admit it, but often we resemble those Jesus called “a brood of vipers.”
Jesus repeatedly declared “Woe to you, hypocrites!” not out of hatred, but out of grief, pity, and concern for their tragic fate. He accused them of blocking the kingdom of heaven for others while not entering themselves, of neglecting justice and mercy while clinging to minor details of the law, of appearing holy on the outside while being corrupt on the inside. He exposed their false piety and their pretense of honoring the prophets while inheriting the same murderous spirit.
His words cut deeply:
“You are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside, but full of dead men’s bones inside.”
Hypocrisy is deception, presenting an image of what we are not. Outwardly polished, inwardly corrupt. It is cosmetics on an unclean heart, light shining outside but darkness inside.
A sinner acknowledges weakness and seeks God’s mercy. A hypocrite hides behind a mask of holiness while living in corruption. Hypocrisy is more dangerous than sin because it pretends to be virtue.
Jesus’ challenge is as real for us today as it was for the Pharisees:
Do our outward appearances match the truth within?
Do our words of faith align with our actions in secret?
Are we seeking God’s mercy with humility, or only seeking the approval of others?
May we ask God to cleanse us from within, so that our lives reflect truth, sincerity, and integrity, not just the appearance of righteousness.
And like St. Monica, we may learn to pray, persist, and persevere in our prayers when all seems lost and hopeless. The world does not always need to know what we are thinking or praying about. She did not give up on her son, and eventually St. Augustine converted, and now they are both saints. My grandma name is Monica. My former principal is also named Monica.
Lord, free us from hypocrisy and give us the grace to live as true disciples like St. Monica.
Amen
God bless you,
Pal Ronnie
And with inspiration from Daily TV Mass and Fr. Blessed
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