Sometimes, the Gospel surprises me. Today, Jesus minces no words when he speaks to the crowd and his disciples about the scribes and Pharisees. He calls them hypocrites and blind guides over and over. Strong words. Yet, words we all need to hear sometimes. Let’s strip away our own feelings of righteousness, of being better than someone else because of what we have. Let’s strip away those judgmental pronouncements we make about the people around us, pronouncements based on scanning the surface and our own feelings of privilege and what we think we deserve.

I make myself feel better (but not really) because of my opinion of myself and what I own instead of who I am and what I have done to find God in all things. Snap judgments. Harsh or sarcastic words. Ignoring what people are really saying.

With these strong words to the scribes and Pharisees, I believe Jesus is speaking to all of us. Am I going through the motions in my relationship with God and others? Am I letting my judgment of others keep me from really looking at myself and my own actions? Following the rules without opening my heart is not enough. The words from Jesus are a surprise, but it is something that needs to be said and needs to be heard.

The first reading today is a great reminder that although we need to hear truth that can be hard to hear, God loves us. We can also pray what Paul, Silvanus and Timothy say to the church of the Thessalonians: “Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, … unceasingly 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.” This is a good prayer for today, to ask God for the grace and peace to be full of love, to find God in all things. I need to think of that grace and effort as a labor of love, one that can open my eyes to my true self, my flawed, yet loved true self.