Daily Mass Readings – Tuesday, 17 October 2028

1 Stand fast, and be not held again under the yoke of bondage.

2 Behold, I Paul tell you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

3 And I testify again to every man circumcising himself, that he is a debtor to the whole law.

4 You are made void of Christ, you who are justified in the law: you are fallen from grace.

5 For we in spirit, by faith, wait for the hope of justice.

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision: but faith that worketh by charity.

R. (41a) Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.

41 Let thy mercy also come upon me, O Lord: thy salvation according to thy word.

R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.

43 And take not thou the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: for in thy words have I hoped exceedingly.

R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.

44 So shall I always keep thy law, for ever and ever.

R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.

45 And I walked at large: because I have sought after thy commandments.

R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.

47 I meditated also on thy commandments, which I loved.

R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.

48 And I lifted up my hands to thy commandments, which I loved: and I was exercised in thy justifications.

R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

12 The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

37 And as he was speaking, a certain Pharisee prayed him, that he would dine with him. And he going in, sat down to eat.

38 And the Pharisee began to say, thinking within himself, why he was not washed before dinner.

39 And the Lord said to him: Now you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but your inside is full of rapine and iniquity.

40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make also that which is within?

41 But yet that which remaineth, give alms; and behold, all things are clean unto you.

Paul speaks with striking clarity about the freedom Christ gives. We do not receive salvation by placing our confidence in an external religious mark or in perfect observance. In Christ, what matters is “faith that worketh by charity”—faith alive in love. The psalm adds an important balance: freedom is not indifference to God’s commands. The one who hopes in God’s mercy learns to love his word and walk in it.

Jesus exposes the danger of keeping a clean appearance while the heart remains filled with injustice. God, who made both the outside and the inside, desires an undivided person. His living word reaches beneath appearances and reveals what needs healing. Jesus points toward that healing when he tells the Pharisee to give alms: love of neighbor becomes a concrete sign that the heart is being purified. Our religious practices matter when they lead us into mercy, generosity, and truth. Today, it is worth allowing God’s word to examine not simply how we appear, but what our faith is producing in the way we treat others.

Merciful God, free me from relying on appearances, accomplishments, or outward observance while neglecting the heart. Let your living word search me honestly and show me where selfishness or injustice remains. Give me faith that works through love, and teach me to receive your commandments with joy rather than as a burden. Make my worship sincere through generosity toward those in need, patience with others, and a life shaped by your truth. May your mercy cleanse what is hidden within me and make my actions reflect the grace I have received. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.