20TH SATURDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 23:1-12) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“The greatest among you must be your servant.” (Mt 23:11)

FIRST READING - Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17

“Blessed is the Lord who has not failed to provide you today with a redeemer. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David."

A reading from the Book of Ruth

^1 [a]Naomi had a powerful relative named Boaz, through the clan of her husband Elimelech. ^2 [b]Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “I would like to go and glean grain in the field of anyone who will allow me.” Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” ³ So she went. The field she entered to glean after the harvesters happened to be the section belonging to Boaz, of the clan of Elimelech. ⁸ Boaz then spoke to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Do not go to glean in anyone else’s field; you are not to leave here. Stay here with my young women. ⁹ Watch to see which field is to be harvested, and follow them. Have I not commanded the young men to do you no harm? When you are thirsty, go and drink from the vessels the young people have filled.” ¹⁰ Casting herself prostrate upon the ground, she said to him, “Why should I, a foreigner, be favored with your attention?” ¹¹ Boaz answered her: “I have had a complete account of what you have done for your mother-in-law after your husband’s death; you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom previously you did not know. ¹³ Boaz took Ruth. When they came together as husband and wife, the Lord enabled her to conceive and she bore a son. ¹⁴ Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not failed to provide you today with a redeemer. May he become famous in Israel! ¹⁵ He will restore your life and be the support of your old age, for his mother is the daughter-in-law who loves you. She is worth more to you than seven sons!” ¹⁶ Naomi took the boy, cradled him^[a] against her breast, and cared for him. ¹⁷ The neighbor women joined the celebration: “A son has been born to Naomi!” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mt 23:1-12

"For they preach but they do not practice."

✠From the Gospel according to Matthew

¹ Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, ^2 [b]saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. ³ Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. ⁴ They tie up heavy burdens^[c] [hard to carry] and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. ^5 [d]All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. ^6 [e]They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, ⁷ greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ ^8 [f]As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹ Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. ¹⁰ Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Messiah. ¹¹ The greatest among you must be your servant. ¹² Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

20TH SATURDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 23:1-12)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today’s Word of God teaches us to practice what we have heard from the scribes and Pharisees, but not to follow their actions or deeds.

Here, God wants to emphasize the wrongful actions and deeds. For in this world, no one is perfect before God; there is only one who is perfect, and that is God Himself. Therefore, He desires to teach everyone to avoid what is evil and to pursue what is most good.

God is the One who sees into the heart of every person. He saw that the actions of the scribes and Pharisees were not good, so He instructed the people to live by and practice their teachings, but not to follow their actions or deeds.

Today, in this new era, God desires that everyone live according to and practice His commandments, as taught by His prophets and shepherds. For only the Word of God is perfect, and only God is the one true Teacher and the Almighty Father. He does not want His children to fall into the temptations and traps of Satan—temptations that arise when people focus solely on the bad actions of others, and, through lack of vigilance, are led into their traps.

Therefore, the Word of God today invites everyone to:

• Respect and worship God alone as your Father and your only Teacher.

• Do not idolize any human being, for as the Word of God says: "Do not call anyone on earth your father or teacher." Because human nature is weak, sinful, and limited, the greatest and most important lesson God desires to teach is for people to live and practice according to His teachings in the Gospel, which is the Word of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to redeem humanity from sin and death. We should live and practice according to the teachings of God; then we will always please God and will enjoy the happiness of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thanks be to God. Amen.