Daily Readings for August 28, 2017

1ST READING

Paul always takes time to assure his communities that he is praying for them when he writes to them. St. Augustine, whose feast day we celebrate today, drew his clerics around him when he was bishop so that he could better care for their needs. Like a father, he encouraged them to live in a community environment to better provide for their emotional need for friendship. It is difficult to live alone as many priests do today, due to dwindling numbers. It is even harder to live alone when overworked as well. Let us pray for our priests that they will be cared for well by their bishops and superiors.

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace. 2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly 3 calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, 4 knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen. 5 For our Gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction. You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake. 8 In every place your faith in God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 9 For they themselves openly declare about us what sort of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God 10 and to await his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath.

P S A L M

Psalm 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 9

R: The Lord takes delight in his people.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful. 2 Let Israel be glad in their maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. (R) 3 Let them praise his name in the festive dance, let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp. 4 For the Lord loves his people, and he adorns the lowly with victory. (R) 5 Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their couches; 6 let the high praises of God be in their throats. 9 This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia! (R)

GOSPEL

St. Augustine, whose feast day is today, has a beautiful understanding of leadership. He sees leadership as something that builds on the fundamental reality of our baptismal identity. We are first and foremost called to holiness as Christians through baptism. Many are then further consecrated to each other in marriage and a few further consecrated to God in holy orders. Let us all heed the call to follow Jesus as a call to first live as the children of God we all are and then to take up the respective roles of leadership based on our common identity. We also need to remember that true leadership is rooted in the call to place our lives at the service of others.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

Matthew 23:13-22

13 Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. 14, 15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves. 16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’ 17 Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’ 19 You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; 21 one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; 22 one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.”