Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

• First Reading – Galatians 5:1-6: Christ freed us, so don’t return to legalistic slavery. Circumcision obliges you to follow the entire law, separating you from grace. What counts is faith expressing itself through love.
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 119: Let God’s mercy and salvation come according to His promise. The word of truth is my hope, and I will always follow His law. I find freedom and joy in His commands.
• Gospel – Luke 11:37-41: Jesus dines with a Pharisee and doesn’t wash before eating. Jesus criticizes the Pharisee for focusing on external cleanliness while neglecting inner morality. He advises giving alms for true cleanliness.

Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.

Luke 11:39

On Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2, the readings highlight the importance of faith over external practices. Paul and Jesus both challenge their listeners to focus on what truly matters in following God.

• True Freedom in Christ: Paul reminds the Galatians that Christ set them free, and they should not return to the slavery of old laws. Freedom in Christ is about faith working through love, not just following rules.
• Faith over the Law: Paul stresses that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters, only faith in Christ. This theme highlights that faith, not external rituals, makes one right with God.
• Love as the Foundation: Paul emphasizes that what counts is faith working through love. This shows that love, rooted in faith, is the core of living a Christian life.
• Internal Purity: In the Gospel, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for focusing on outward cleanliness while ignoring the inner heart. This theme stresses the importance of inner purity and genuine faith.
• Criticism of Hypocrisy: Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, as they clean the outside but neglect justice and love. This theme calls believers to avoid being hypocritical and live with sincerity.
• Generosity from the Heart: Jesus teaches that true generosity comes from the heart, not just following external rules. This highlights that what we do must come from genuine love and concern for others.

The readings on Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2 call us to examine our hearts and focus on what really matters. Faith, love, and sincerity are more important than just following rituals.

On Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2, the readings invite us to reflect on the deeper meaning of faith. Paul and Jesus both challenge us to go beyond outward appearances and rules, focusing instead on love, sincerity, and living our faith with real commitment. These reflections explore how we can live out this message in our daily lives.

Faith Leads Us to Love

In the first reading from Galatians on Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2, Paul teaches that faith works through love. He wants us to understand that true faith is not just about believing in God with our words. Our belief should show itself in how we treat others. Faith is meant to lead us to care for those around us, especially those in need.

When we live out our faith, it naturally leads to love. Faith and love go hand in hand. If we truly believe in God’s goodness, we will want to share that goodness with others. Paul reminds the Galatians that this is more important than following external rules or customs.

Living as a Christian means going beyond words or rituals. We are called to look for ways to serve others with kindness and care. Our actions, rooted in love, show that our faith is real and active. On Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2, we are reminded to focus on both faith and love, letting one lead to the other.

Avoiding Hypocrisy

In the Gospel on Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2, Jesus warns against hypocrisy. The Pharisees focus on cleaning the outside of things while ignoring what is inside. Jesus calls them out because their actions don’t match their hearts. They appear good on the surface, but they do not live with sincerity.

This is a warning for all of us. It is easy to fall into the trap of looking good on the outside while neglecting our inner lives. We may say the right things or follow religious customs, but if we are not sincere in our hearts, it becomes empty. Jesus wants us to live what we believe, both in our hearts and our actions.

To avoid hypocrisy, we need to be honest with ourselves and with God. We should focus on growing in goodness from within. Our actions should flow from a true desire to follow God, not just from trying to appear good in front of others. Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2 challenges us to be real in our faith and in how we live it out.

More Than Following Rules

On Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2, both Paul and Jesus show that simply following rules is not enough to be close to God. Paul teaches that old laws, like circumcision, don’t matter if we don’t have faith. Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for focusing on rituals but neglecting justice and love. They follow the rules, but their hearts are far from God.

The message is clear: rules by themselves don’t make us good Christians. God cares more about what is in our hearts. It is not enough to check off boxes and follow certain practices. True faith involves love, care, and a genuine desire to do good.

This doesn’t mean rules are bad, but they are meant to lead us to something deeper. They should help us grow in faith and love. Paul and Jesus remind us that what matters most is living with true faith, letting it guide us to love others. On Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2, we are invited to reflect on whether we are simply following rules or truly living out our faith in love.

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The readings for Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2 remind us that faith is about more than just following rules or appearing good. We are called to live with love and sincerity, letting our faith show in our actions. May we take these lessons to heart and let them shape the way we live.

Prayer

Lord, help us to live with true faith and love. Teach us to look beyond outward actions and focus on what really matters in our hearts. Guide us to avoid hypocrisy and live with sincerity, caring for others as You care for us. Amen.

Reflection Questions

• How can I let my faith lead me to love others more in my daily life?
• In what ways do I focus on outward actions while neglecting my inner life?
• How can I avoid being a hypocrite in my faith and live with more sincerity?
• What is one area where I follow rules but need to focus more on love and care for others?

Word On Fire: Almsgiving and Compassion

In this reflection for Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time, Bishop Robert Barron focuses on the importance of almsgiving as emphasized in the Gospel, drawing upon past teachings of saints and popes. According to Bishop Barron, once basic needs are met, remaining resources should be considered as belonging to the less fortunate. He stresses that this idea is deeply rooted in the biblical prophets who were vocal about compassion for the poor. The underlying message is that genuine love for God is inherently linked to compassion for one’s neighbors, particularly those in need.

What date is Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2?

The next date is Tuesday October 15, 2024.

Cycle 1 is used in odd numbered years and Cycle 2 is used in even numbered years. The gospel is the same for both years. For odd numbered years see Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 1.

What are the Mass readings for Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2?

The Mass readings for Tuesday October 15, 2024 are:
First Reading – Galatians 5:1-6: Freedom in Faith
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 119: Seeking Mercy
Gospel – Luke 11:37-41: Dining Rebuke

What does it mean to have freedom in Christ?

In the first reading from Galatians, Paul teaches that Christ set us free from the old laws. This freedom means living in faith and love, not just following rules or rituals.

Why does Paul say circumcision doesn’t matter?

Paul says circumcision, an old Jewish practice, is not what makes someone right with God. What matters is having faith in Jesus and showing love through actions.

How can faith work through love?

Paul says that faith works through love, meaning that true faith leads us to love others. This shows that living as a Christian means caring for others, not just saying we believe.

Why does Jesus criticize the Pharisees?

In the Gospel, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees because they focus on outward actions, like washing hands, but ignore what is inside their hearts. Jesus teaches that real faith comes from a clean heart, not just clean hands.

What does internal purity mean?

Internal purity means having a clean and honest heart before God. It means that we should focus on being good and kind on the inside, not just looking good on the outside.

How can we avoid being hypocrites like the Pharisees?

Jesus warns against hypocrisy, where someone pretends to be good but doesn’t live it out. We can avoid hypocrisy by being sincere and living what we believe, both in our hearts and our actions.

What does Jesus mean by being generous from the heart?

Jesus teaches that true generosity comes from the heart, not just giving because we are told to. Real generosity means giving to others out of love and care, not for show.

How can we apply these readings to our lives?

The readings on Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2 call us to live with real faith and love. We can apply this by focusing on our inner life and being sincere in how we treat others.

What should we focus on more, faith or actions?

On Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 2, the readings show that both faith and actions are important. Faith leads us to act with love, and love shows in our actions.

Why are rules not enough?

Paul and Jesus show that just following rules is not enough to be close to God. What matters is living with true faith, love, and care for others.