To read the texts click on the texts: 1 Thess 2:9-13; Mt 23:27-32
The text of today contains the sixth (23:27-28) and seventh
(23:29–36) woes begun in 23:13. The sixth Woe concerns “whitewashed tombs”. As
a public service, tombs were whitewashed to make them more obvious, since
contact with the dead and with graves, even if unintentional, transmitted
ritual impurity (Num19:11-22). This was especially important to pilgrims at
Passover time, who would not know the places they visited. The point that
Matthew makes is “ostentatious exterior, corrupt interior”. The seventh and
final Woe extends the tomb image and modulates into the concluding theme: The
rejection of the prophets God has sent.
The challenge then to each one of us is to bother less about
what we ought to do and think more about what we ought to be, because if our
being were good then our works would shine forth brightly.
jmjt
ReplyDeleteinteresting....to do and to be...you are usually, on the whole, what you are and what you are is not readily what you might be or what, even, you ought to be...our being is a "make over" our doing is too late
With the right attitude (I do MY best & God WILL do the rest) we can change who we are for the better. Since better is never best this is a lifelong process. The CHOICE to grow towards a better me is MINE. Whether it works or not will be revealed by time & my resultant ACTIONS.
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