Help and Hypocrisy

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to explore how our actions present our love, care and compassion to the people we encounter on our journey.

Psalm 128 Blessing

In the Reading from the Book of Ruth, Boaz Marries Ruth.

* [4:16] Cradled him: the child belongs to Naomi in the sense that he now becomes the redeemer in the family, as stated in 4:14. This tender act by Naomi is not necessarily adoptive and differs from the relationship in Gn 30:3; cf. Nm 11:12. Naomi now has a “boy” to replace her two lost “boys” in 1:5. (Ruth, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 128 declares God blesses with a fertile spouse and abundant children.

* [Psalm 128] A statement that the ever-reliable God will bless the reverent (Ps 128:1). God’s blessing is concrete: satisfaction and prosperity, a fertile spouse and abundant children (Ps 128:2–4). The perspective is that of the adult male, ordinarily the ruler and representative of the household to the community. The last verses extend the blessing to all the people for generations to come (Ps 128:5–6). (Psalms, PSALM 128 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents a Denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees.

* [23:1–39] The final section of the narrative part of the fifth book of the gospel is a denunciation by Jesus of the scribes and the Pharisees (see note on Mt 3:7). It depends in part on Mark and Q (cf. Mk 12:38–39; Lk 11:37–52; 13:34–35), but in the main it is peculiar to Matthew. (For the reasons against considering this extensive body of sayings-material either as one of the structural discourses of this gospel or as part of the one that follows in Mt 24–25, see note on Mt 19:1–23:39.) While the tradition of a deep opposition between Jesus and the Pharisees is well founded, this speech reflects an opposition that goes beyond that of Jesus’ ministry and must be seen as expressing the bitter conflict between Pharisaic Judaism and the church of Matthew at the time when the gospel was composed. The complaint often made that the speech ignores the positive qualities of Pharisaism and of its better representatives is true, but the complaint overlooks the circumstances that gave rise to the invective. Nor is the speech purely anti-Pharisaic. The evangelist discerns in his church many of the same faults that he finds in its opponents and warns his fellow Christians to look to their own conduct and attitudes. (Matthew, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB, n.d.)

Edward Morse comments that Our Lord warns his disciples against those who “preach but do not practice.”  It was not that the rules were unimportant. Indeed, Jesus tells us to follow their teaching, but not to follow their bad example.

We reserve special contempt for hypocrisy, in which one merely poses as virtuous or pious without a genuine belief.  But often we simply fail in the execution of what we know to be true or right, whether out of ignorance, weakness, fear, or other infirmity.  In that sense, we are not hypocrites but merely common sinners. 

Love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8).  We can all do with more practice in loving, forgiving, and living upright and holy lives in the manner to which we are called. Ruth and Boaz gave us wonderful positive examples to follow.  Faithfulness, kindness, mercy, and generosity often return to us in blessings beyond our wildest dreams.  Thanks be to God. (Morse, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “God is our father and teacher,” by Jerome (347-420 AD).

"No one should be called teacher or father except God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is the Father, because all things are from him. He alone is the teacher, because through him are made all things and through him all things are reconciled to God. But one might ask, 'Is it against this precept when the apostle calls himself the teacher of the Gentiles? Or when, as in colloquial speech widely found in the monasteries of Egypt and Palestine, they call each other Father?' Remember this distinction. It is one thing to be a father or a teacher by nature, another to be so by generosity. For when we call a man father and reserve the honor of his age, we may thereby be failing to honor the Author of our own lives. One is rightly called a teacher only from his association with the true Teacher. I repeat: The fact that we have one God and one Son of God through nature does not prevent others from being understood as sons of God by adoption. Similarly this does not make the terms father and teacher useless or prevent others from being called father."(excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 23:1-12 comments on the contrast between Ruth and the scribes and Pharisees in today’s Gospel! Jesus rebukes them for being more concerned with their prestige than with easing other people’s burdens (Matthew 23:3-7). And he ends with words that continue to speak to us today: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (23:12).

Ruth shows us that pleasing the Lord doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t take a soaring intellect or a superhero’s strength. It just takes trying our best to honor him in prayer, caring for the people around us, and choosing the path of humble service. And when we fall short, it just takes a simple confession of our sins and trust in God’s mercy. It just takes humbling ourselves—and God will exalt us.

“Father, help me to imitate Ruth’s humble trust in you.” (Meditation on Matthew 23:1-12, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the texts of today. Naomi kinsman Boaz has a field where Ruth gleaned and they need a man in the family and the goel has given up his right. The ancestry of David includes a Moabite woman. Jesus says the Pharisees are hypocrites looking for recognition and status with elaborate signs of their different religious devotion. Friar Jude comments on the title “Father” and the use of Jewish exaggeration by Jesus to encourage religious leaders to be humble.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Psychologist Hillary McBride who describes the impact of suppressing emotions. Growing up, we might have learned that some feelings were dangerous or untrustworthy, would cause us to be alone, or would create distress in others. We learned ways of expressing feelings that suited those around us, or we learned to defend against the feelings to protect ourselves and others from the pain of them.

But our unfelt feelings, like any other essential bodily processes, do not go away even if we try to repress them. They eventually catch up with us and get our attention somehow, sometimes in the form of disease, mental health issues, illness, burnout, addiction, or pain. To get back to our core self, the wise, creative, steady, compassionate, and connected present-day self, we need to learn to be with our feelings as they happen and to trust that our bodies know what to do with them, as long as our mental and cultural stories do not get in the way.  

McBride offers several journaling prompts to explore our relationship with our emotions: 

Growing up, the feelings I was allowed to feel were …  

I learned that it would be dangerous to feel …  

The feelings that I have learned to label as negative are …  

I am afraid that if I feel ______ (fear, sadness, joy, disgust, excitement, anger, desire), then I might …  

When I was little, I needed to learn that feelings … (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder the nature of hypocrisy and seek the guidance of the Spirit to help us align our presentation and purpose as a sign of our humility as followers of Jesus.

References

Matthew, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/23?1 

Meditation on Matthew 23:1-12. (n.d.). The Word Among Us. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/?utm_content=buffer5c902&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer 

Morse, E. (2025, August 23). Daily Reflection August 23, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-23-2025 

Psalms, PSALM 128 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/128?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Emotional Equilibrium: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/emotional-equilibrium-weekly-summary/ 

Ruth, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ruth/4 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Whoever Humbles Oneself Will Be Exalted. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=aug23 

Loyalty and Love

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, invite us to examine the role of loyalty in following the Great Commandment of Love.

Loyalty and Life

The Reading from the Book of Ruth begins the story of Naomi in Moab.

* [1:1–2] Back in the time of the judges: the story looks back three generations before King David (4:17) into the time of the tribal confederation described in the Book of Judges. David’s Moabite connections are implied in 1 Sm 22:3–4. Bethlehem of Judah: Bethlehem, a town in which part of the Judean clan-division called Ephrathah lived; cf. 1 Chr 2:50–51; 4:4; Mi 5:1. Jos 19:15 mentions a different Bethlehem in the north. The plateau of Moab: on the east side of the Jordan valley rift, where the hills facing west get more rain, and where agricultural conditions differ from those in Judah. Ephrathites: a reminder of David’s origins; cf. Mi 5:1.

* [1:5] Boys: the way the storyteller chooses certain words as guides is shown here; “boy” will not appear again until 4:16.

* [1:6] Had seen to his people’s needs: lit., “had visited his people.

* [1:16–17] Ruth’s adherence to her mother-in-law in 1:14 is now expressed in a profound oath of loyalty, culminating in a formulary found frequently in Samuel and Kings; cf. especially 1 Sm 20:13. Even death: burial in Naomi’s family tomb means that not even death will separate them. (Ruth, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 146 proclaims there is no other source of strength except the merciful God..

* [Psalm 146] A hymn of someone who has learned there is no other source of strength except the merciful God. Only God, not mortal human beings (Ps 146:3–4), can help vulnerable and oppressed people (Ps 146:5–9). The first of the five hymns that conclude the Psalter. (Psalms, PSALM 146 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus identifies The Greatest Commandment.

* [22:34–40] The Marcan parallel (Mk 12:28–34) is an exchange between Jesus and a scribe who is impressed by the way in which Jesus has conducted himself in the previous controversy (Mk 12:28), who compliments him for the answer he gives him (Mk 12:32), and who is said by Jesus to be “not far from the kingdom of God” (Mk 12:34). Matthew has sharpened that scene. The questioner, as the representative of other Pharisees, tests Jesus by his question (Mt 22:34–35), and both his reaction to Jesus’ reply and Jesus’ commendation of him are lacking.

* [22:35] [A scholar of the law]: meaning “scribe.” Although this reading is supported by the vast majority of textual witnesses, it is the only time that the Greek word so translated occurs in Matthew. It is relatively frequent in Luke, and there is reason to think that it may have been added here by a copyist since it occurs in the Lucan parallel (Lk 10:25–28). Tested: see note on Mt 19:3.

* [22:36] For the devout Jew all the commandments were to be kept with equal care, but there is evidence of preoccupation in Jewish sources with the question put to Jesus.

* [22:37–38] Cf. Dt 6:5. Matthew omits the first part of Mark’s fuller quotation (Mk 12:29; Dt 6:4–5), probably because he considered its monotheistic emphasis needless for his church. The love of God must engage the total person (heart, soul, mind).

* [22:39] Jesus goes beyond the extent of the question put to him and joins to the greatest and the first commandment a second, that of love of neighbor, Lv 19:18; see note on Mt 19:18–19. This combination of the two commandments may already have been made in Judaism.

* [22:40] The double commandment is the source from which the whole law and the prophets are derived. (Matthew, CHAPTER 22 | USCCB, n.d.)

Carol Zuegner comments that it is so simple. Love your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself. But we never make it simple. We want control. We want exceptions.

There aren’t exceptions. If we are to find God in all things, we have to reach inside of ourselves and be that better person we can be all the time. Not just when it’s convenient or easy or makes me feel good or lets other people see what a good person I am. Does this mean I will never be impatient or short with someone? Probably not. Does this commandment mean that I should think every day about ways that I can love my God with all my heart and all my soul and all my mind by living out that second rule. No exceptions. No whining. No it’s-not-my-turn thoughts. 

My prayer is to let me be aware of these moments every day where I love my neighbor, where I can send ripples of love and care out into the world. No exceptions. (Zuegner, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Loving God with heart, mind, and soul,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).

"Worthy is he, confirmed in all his gifts, who exults in the wisdom of God, having a heart full of the love of God, and a soul completely enlightened by the lamp of knowledge and a mind filled with the word of God. It follows then that all such gifts truly come from God. He would understand that all the law and the prophets are in some way a part of the wisdom and knowledge of God. He would understand that all the law and the prophets depend upon and adhere to the principle of the love of the Lord God and of neighbor and that the perfection of piety consists in love." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 13) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22 comments that we have all been in situations when we’ve had to choose a path that is compassionate and yet costly.

It can be hard to see situations like these as invitations from the Lord. But sometimes that’s exactly what they are. They give us the chance to imitate Jesus’ love and loyalty. They help us say no to selfishness. And they offer opportunities for healing and reconciliation. In many cases, they open the door for God to work wonders in our hearts.

So don’t reject these invitations out of hand. You never know how saying yes might change your history!

“Lord, give me the strength and wisdom to choose the path of costly compassion when it arises before me.” (Meditation on Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the texts of today. The reading from Ruth is the story of a Moabite, a people hated by the Israelites, named Ruth, who shows great loyalty to Naomi. She becomes known as a virtuous ancestor of David. Jesus recites the Commandment of love of God and neighbour. Friar Jude notes that this involves intelligence, persecution, and possessions in loving God, a vertical dimension, and love of our neighbour as the horizontal dimension.

Cynthia Bourgeault explains how understanding the ancient meaning of the word passion can help us gain emotional equilibrium. The passions are really stuck emotions, revolving around themselves to generate drama. She cites a great teaching from the 4th-century spiritual teacher, Evagrius, the first real spiritual psychologist of the Christian West.

Once it becomes a passion and it’s stuck to your story, it can do nothing else but churn up more emotion, which then goes down into your physical body and steals your energy of being. Evagrius’ advice is that you have to learn to nip the thought in the bud before it becomes a passion. It’s a kind of wonderful combination of what we might call witnessing presence or practice, developing the capacity to see, combined with kenosis, the willingness to let go of the satisfaction you get from your drama. That is what clears the radar screen.   

The core practice for cleansing and restoring the heart to its organ of spiritual seeing, becomes supremely, in Christianity, the path of kenosis, of letting go. The seeing will come, but the real heart of working with emotion is the willingness to let go, to sacrifice your personal drama, letting go at that level, so that you can begin to see with a pure heart.  (Bourgeault, n.d.)  

We are assisted by the Spirit to open our practice of the Great Commandment of Love to include all people.

References

Bourgeault, C. (n.d.). Purifying the Heart. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/purifying-the-heart/ 

Matthew, CHAPTER 22 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/22?34 

Meditation on Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/?utm_content=buffer5c902&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer 

Psalms, PSALM 146 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/146?5 

Ruth, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ruth/1?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). What Is the Greatest Rule of Life? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=aug22 

Zuegner, C. (2025, August 22). Daily Reflection August 22, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-22-2025