The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to consider the nature of the “Work of Faith” in our relationships with the people with whom we journey in life.
The Reading from the First Letter to the Thessalonians is a Thanksgiving for Their Faith by Paul.
* [1:3] Faith…love…hope: this, along with 1 Thes 5:8, is the earliest mention in Christian literature of the three “theological virtues” (see 1 Cor 13:13). The order here stresses eschatological hope, in line with the letter’s emphasis on the Lord’s second, triumphal coming, or parousia (1 Thes 1:10; 2:12, 19; 3:13; 4:13–5:11; 5:23). (1 Thessalonians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 149 celebrates God in song and festive dance.
* [Psalm 149] A hymn inviting the people of Israel to celebrate their God in song and festive dance (Ps 149:1–3, 5) because God has chosen them and given them victory (Ps 149:4). The exodus and conquest are the defining acts of Israel; the people must be ready to do again those acts in the future at the divine command (Ps 149:6–9). (Psalms, PSALM 149 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Matthew continues Denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees.
[23:13] You lock the kingdom of heaven: cf. Mt 16:19 where Jesus tells Peter that he will give him the keys to the kingdom of heaven. The purpose of the authority expressed by that metaphor is to give entrance into the kingdom (the kingdom is closed only to those who reject the authority); here the charge is made that the authority of the scribes and Pharisees is exercised in such a way as to be an obstacle to entrance. Cf. Lk 11:52 where the accusation against the “scholars of the law” (Matthew’s scribes) is that they “have taken away the key of knowledge.”
* [23:14] Some manuscripts add a verse here or after Mt 23:12, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. Because of this, you will receive a very severe condemnation.” Cf. Mk 12:40; Lk 20:47. This “woe” is almost identical with Mk 12:40 and seems to be an interpolation derived from that text.
* [23:15] In the first century A.D. until the First Jewish Revolt against Rome (A.D. 66–70), many Pharisees conducted a vigorous missionary campaign among Gentiles. Convert: literally, “proselyte,” a Gentile who accepted Judaism fully by submitting to circumcision and all other requirements of Mosaic law. Child of Gehenna: worthy of everlasting punishment; for Gehenna, see note on Mt 5:22. Twice as much as yourselves: possibly this refers simply to the zeal of the convert, surpassing that of the one who converted him.
* [23:16–22] An attack on the casuistry that declared some oaths binding (one is obligated) and others not (it means nothing) and held the binding oath to be the one made by something of lesser value (the gold; the gift on the altar). Such teaching, which inverts the order of values, reveals the teachers to be blind guides; cf. Mt 15:14. Since the Matthean Jesus forbids all oaths to his disciples (Mt 5:33–37), this woe does not set up a standard for Christian moral conduct, but ridicules the Pharisees on their own terms. (Matthew, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB, n.d.)
Nancy Shirley comments that neither gold nor gifts bring us closer to God – our desire to love Him and embrace our roles as loved and loving children of God is the essential part of our being.
I still remember my awe when I sat in the Basilica of St Peter in Rome over 50 years ago and the beautiful sense of presence of something very sacred.
However, it is not unlike the feeling I get at St. John’s on Creighton’s campus particularly on an afternoon with the sun coming through the stained glass and no one else is in the church or the simple chapel in Santiago on the ILAC campus. God is with us in the gold and splendor and in the simplistic. The “altar” or “temple” is not necessarily a physical place rather a sacred place where we find God – it can be anywhere and IS everywhere! (Shirley, 2025)
Don Schwager quotes “Shutting the Kingdom of Heaven,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).
"There are those who dare to say that God is not good because of the curses in his law that he places against their sin. And yet the one who is truly the Son of God who gave that same law is also the same one who put blessings into the law. The same God who provides blessings for those who are saved in a similar way applies curses which he placed in the law against sinners. 'Woe,' he says. Woe to you and to those hearing these things who plead the God of the law and yet do not understand that these words were spoken by God in a kindly way. So we understand why Jesus said, 'Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees.' They believe that it is in fact a good thing to pronounce these curses against sinners. They consider the arrangement of the law's curses to be a part of God's design. The chiding father frequently urges his advice on his son for his improvement - advice that may seem to be a curse. He does not wish the curses to be actualized, however, but rather he desires to avert him from even more such curses." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 13) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10 comments that Paul’s letters also reveal the heart of a man who loved these new believers with the love of Christ.
They reveal a passionate, intelligent man who dedicated all of his talents to building up those believers’ faith and trust in the Lord. Read any one of his letters, and you’ll see how much Paul longed for them to know Jesus more and more deeply.
Keep this in mind in the coming days as we continue to journey through this letter. Remember that it is a personal message to dear friends in the Lord. Remember, also, that the Spirit can speak to you about Jesus as you ponder Paul’s words. In fact, try reading today’s passage as if Paul, now in heaven, is giving “thanks to God always” for you (1 Thessalonians 1:2). And join him in thanking God for all your brothers and sisters in Christ.
“Jesus, thank you for the witness of St. Paul—and for every person who has helped me grow closer to you!” (Meditation on 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that Thessalonians is the earliest of Paul’s letters. Throughout Paul uses “we” not “I” and we know that Paul wrote it. It does not mention the “Holy Spirit” but the “Spirit of the Holy One” Paul gives thanks in an element added to normal Greek letters to a successful community and offers a correction too against feeling it is their work rather than God Three of the theological virtues are mentioned. “The work of Faith” underlines that a labour of love is never easy. He urges endurance through hope, asserting that in the end God will win. He concedes missionaries they had to act in a certain way to make the message available in the language and customs of the region. The final author of Matthew is thought to be a converted Pharisee kicked out of the Temple. The Pharisees impose regulations but some are hypocrites. They swear upon gold and wealth and are not concerned with Temple and offering. Friar Jude reminds us that this portrait is a bit stilted with the negativity possibly connected to the expulsion from the Temple.
James Finley reflects on what he learned about interfaith friendships from Thomas Merton. Finley recalls how he sought Merton’s guidance in developing his own curiosity about Buddhism.
Merton would talk about the beauty of these religions, their analogies and similarities. When I would go see him for spiritual direction, I’d ask him to help me to go further. He never pushed it or anything, but I asked. He introduced me to the Dharma or Buddhist teaching, and it had a deep effect on me. The same with yoga. He practiced yoga and introduced me to it. A yoga monk came from India and we all went up to the front porch of Merton’s hermitage to practice asana—the postures—together. People were drawn to Merton, because they sensed the depth of awareness that he carried.
Thomas Merton once said that if we want to study Buddhism, the answer is not to read a lot of books on Buddhism; it’s to meet a holy Buddhist instead. There’s an unmistakable quality of presence. And if someone tries to understand Christianity, they don’t need to read a lot of books on Christian theology. Philosopher Jacques Maritain, who came to visit Merton at the monastery once, said, “If there’s a place where Christ isn’t present, you go there. Christ will be present this way.” I think it is this transformative place of living from presence that allows us to resonate with others—meeting them in their presence, rather than through our ideas about them, or their ideas of us. (Finley, n.d.)
We ponder the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity and seek guidance of the Spirit in making them active in our environment.
References
Finley, J. (n.d.). Learning from Thomas Merton. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/learning-from-thomas-merton/
Matthew, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/23?13
Meditation on 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/?utm_content=buffer5c902&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
1 Thessalonians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1thessalonians/1?1
Psalms, PSALM 149 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/149?1
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Do Not Close the Door to God's Kingdom. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=aug25
Shirley, N. (2025, August 25). Daily Reflection August 25, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-25-2025
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