Friday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 435
Reading 1
Brothers and sisters:
Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ
and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Now it is of course required of stewards
that they be found trustworthy.
It does not concern me in the least
that I be judged by you or any human tribunal;
I do not even pass judgment on myself;
I am not conscious of anything against me,
but I do not thereby stand acquitted;
the one who judges me is the Lord.
Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time,
until the Lord comes,
for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness
and will manifest the motives of our hearts,
and then everyone will receive praise from God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 37:3-4, 5-6, 27-28, 39-40
R. (39a) The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Commit to the LORD your way;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will make justice dawn for you like the light;
bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
For the LORD loves what is right,
and forsakes not his faithful ones.
Criminals are destroyed
and the posterity of the wicked is cut off.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers,
and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same;
but yours eat and drink.”
Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast
while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
then they will fast in those days.”
And he also told them a parable.
“No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one.
Otherwise, he will tear the new
and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins,
and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.
Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new,
for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
Meditation
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today, the Word of God invites us to look beyond appearances. We live in a world where everyone often wants to be seen positively, appreciated, recognized, and judged favorably by others. Yet God does not stop at what human beings can see. He looks into the heart.
Saint Paul reminds us that the servants of Christ are “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” And what God expects from a steward is not to be applauded by people, but to be found trustworthy.
This raises an essential question for our Christian life:
Am I more concerned about pleasing God, or about receiving the approval of others?
Saint Paul goes even further when he says: “Do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, for he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.”
We may deceive others through our words, our appearances, or our behaviour. But nothing is hidden from the eyes of God.
The Lord does not judge only our actions; He also knows the intentions behind them.
This Word should make us humble. We are sometimes quick to judge others, to interpret their actions, and to condemn their behaviour. Yet we do not always know their story, their struggles, or the deepest intentions of their hearts. Jesus therefore invites us to leave the final judgment to God.
In the Gospel, Jesus takes us even further. The Pharisees are surprised because His disciples do not live exactly according to the practices to which they are accustomed. They compare, observe, and judge.
But Jesus reveals something new to them: The time of the Bridegroom has come.
With Jesus, God inaugurates a new reality that cannot be confined within old habits or reduced to mere external practices.
That is why Jesus uses this powerful image: “New wine must be put into fresh wineskins.”
The new wine represents the newness of the Gospel. It is the grace of God that desires to renew our hearts, our way of living, our way of praying, and our way of loving. But in order to receive the new wine, we must be willing to become new wineskins ourselves.
We cannot fully welcome the newness of God while refusing to change inwardly.
Today, Christ invites us to open our hearts to His newness. So let us ask ourselves today:
Do I seek to live in order to please God, or simply to be appreciated by others?
Am I quick to judge the intentions of my brothers and sisters?
What old habits prevent God from renewing my life?
Is my heart a willing and open wineskin, ready to receive the new wine of the Gospel?
LET US PRAY
Lord Jesus, You know my heart better than I know myself. Purify my intentions and free me from the desire to appear righteous in the eyes of others. Teach me to live as a faithful and trustworthy servant. Help me not to judge my brothers and sisters too quickly, but to treat them with patience, mercy, and understanding. Come and renew my heart, and make me a new wineskin capable of receiving the new wine of Your Gospel. May I never remain imprisoned by my old habits, my resentments, or my resistance to Your grace. Teach me to trust in You, to do what is good, and to place my joy in You. Amen.
INTERCESSION
Today, let us pray for all those who feel judged, misunderstood, or condemned by others. May the Lord grant them peace and remind them that He alone truly knows the heart of every person.
Let us also pray for those who are trapped in old habits, wounds, or situations that prevent them from moving forward. May the Holy Spirit renew their hearts and give them the courage to welcome the newness of God.
✨ SPIRITUAL EXERCISE
– Today, I will make a conscious effort not to judge or condemn someone too quickly.
– I will take a few moments to examine the true intentions behind my actions.
– I will identify one old habit that God is inviting me to leave behind so that I may more fully welcome the newness of the Gospel.
Father Martial SOH TAKAMTE
