MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL FOR 26 AUGUST
August 26, 2025
FEAST OF SAINT MONICA OF HIPPO – 27th AUGUST
August 27, 2025
TODAY’S GOSPEL READING
26 AUGUST, 2025
Matthew 23: 23-26
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD!
REFLECTION
In this passage, Jesus confronts the Pharisees for their obsession with outward appearances and minor rituals while neglecting the weightier matters of God’s law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Their devotion was reduced to a show, carefully polishing the outside while the inside remained corrupt. Jesus reminds us that true holiness begins in the heart. External acts of religion, though important, must flow from an inner life that is cleansed by love, humility, and integrity. God is not pleased with empty rituals but with a heart that reflects His compassion and truth.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, cleanse my heart from hypocrisy and self-indulgence. Help me to value what You value—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Teach me to worship You not only with outward actions but with a spirit renewed by Your grace. Purify my inner life so that what I do outwardly may shine with sincerity and love. May my words and deeds reflect Your truth, and may my heart be wholly Yours. Amen
