by John Samuels

Psalm 50.7-15,22-24
Isaiah 1:2-4, 16-20
Matthew 23:1-12

On issues of life and death, good and evil, God calls us: "Come now, let us reason together." What plea could be more simple and appealing than this when speaking of such earth-shattering matters that envelop all of us human beings?

Prayers and sacrifices will never atone for fraud and oppression. In order to reach God, we must cease to do evil and must make ourselves clean. In other words, we must learn to do well.

Forget gifts to God in material forms. God already has everything that exists in our world. What God is seeking is pure worship, ingenuous worship without guile. The symbolic service and beauty of the liturgy must come from the homage of the heart and faith, penitence, and above all else, love. Humility before God and others is an absolute.

One who humbles himself, God will exalt him. One who exalts himself, God will humble him.