Gospel of the Day

"But woe to you Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Woe to you Pharisees! for you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market places.

Woe to you! for you are like graves which are not seen, and men walk over them without knowing it."

One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying this you reproach us also."

And he said, "Woe to you lawyers also! for you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

Reflection

Jesus pronounces woes upon the Pharisees: they tithe mint and rue yet neglect justice and the love of God. They love the seats of honor and public greetings. They are like unseen graves that people walk over unknowingly. This passage is not merely a critique of first-century Judaism but a mirror for every religious person in every age.

Scrupulous attention to minor regulations while ignoring the weightier matters of the law is a perennial temptation. It is possible to fulfill every external precept while harboring a heart devoid of mercy. Jesus does not say tithing is wrong—He says these things should be done without neglecting justice and love. Both matter, but love is the soul of the law.

The image of unseen graves is chilling. A person can spread spiritual contamination without anyone realizing it—through hypocrisy, judgmentalism, or cold legalism that repels others from the faith. The antidote is love. When love of God genuinely animates our religious practice, even correction becomes an act of mercy rather than condemnation.

Lord, save me from the hypocrisy of external religion without interior love. Help me practice justice and mercy alongside devotion. Let the love of God be the soul of everything I do in Your name. Jesus, I trust in You.