Today's gospel: On living in integrity, and the mind of Christ, plus What's On
Today in the parishes, Sat 23 August:
Today's gospel Matthew 23:1-12
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practise what they teach.
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honour at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have people call them rabbi.
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.
They love to have the place of honour at banquets...
Fresco, 1760, illustrating the Gospel of Matthew 22: 7
"See, the meal is ready, come!"
Artist unknown
Photo by Wolfgang Sauber
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51202472
Scared Space
"Jesus points out the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of his day who wanted to appear great in people's eyes. What matters is how we are in God's eyes."
See prayer guide and the remainder of this devotional thought here: https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2025-08-23/
Additional comment
Today's gospel echoes an Old Testament (/Hebrew) proverb: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16: 18).
More than that, when it comes to the matter of personal integrity and living, it points to Christ as the sole teacher / instructor from whom we can learn, the One in whose example we can have full confidence on account of his divinity and the sinless and perfect life he lived in his humanity.
The writer to the church and Christians at Philippi understood this when he penned these verses, below, which may have been sung as a hymn, encouraging the Christians to be imitators of Christ. It's a tall order for us "mere mortals" with all our failings and foibles, but "the Spirit helps us in our weakness" (Romans 8:26).
Philippians 2:5-11
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
- 9.30am Return to Inishbiggle, from Dorran's Point, Ballycroy
- 7pm Turlough, Service of Holy Communion
Sunday 24 August:
- 10am in Christ Church Castlebar
- 12 noon for Holy Trinity Westport in St Mary's Church, South Mall
- 3pm in St Thomas's Dugort
- 3pm - All-parishes' Late Summer Get-together at the National Museum of Ireland Park, Turlough, meeting at the carpark. All welcome. Bring a picnic.
Today's gospel
On hypocrisy, integrity, and the mind of Christ
Hypocrisy
from the Henry Altemus edition of
John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress
Illustration by Frederick Barnard, J.D. Linton, W. Small, etc.
engraved by Dalziel Brothers
Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10969228
Today's gospel Matthew 23:1-12
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practise what they teach.
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honour at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have people call them rabbi.
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.
They love to have the place of honour at banquets...
Fresco, 1760, illustrating the Gospel of Matthew 22: 7
"See, the meal is ready, come!"
Artist unknown
Photo by Wolfgang Sauber
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51202472
Scared Space
"Jesus points out the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of his day who wanted to appear great in people's eyes. What matters is how we are in God's eyes."
See prayer guide and the remainder of this devotional thought here: https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2025-08-23/
Christian Art
Additional comment
Today's gospel echoes an Old Testament (/Hebrew) proverb: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16: 18).
More than that, when it comes to the matter of personal integrity and living, it points to Christ as the sole teacher / instructor from whom we can learn, the One in whose example we can have full confidence on account of his divinity and the sinless and perfect life he lived in his humanity.
The writer to the church and Christians at Philippi understood this when he penned these verses, below, which may have been sung as a hymn, encouraging the Christians to be imitators of Christ. It's a tall order for us "mere mortals" with all our failings and foibles, but "the Spirit helps us in our weakness" (Romans 8:26).
Philippians 2:5-11
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Pastoral care and enquiries:
Revd Suzanne Cousins 083 800 3233
Email aughaval@tuam.anglican.org
Aughaval Parishes' Website aughaval.tlk.ie
