Daily Catholic Lectio
Wed, 26 Aug 2026
XXI Week in Ordinary Time
2 Thes 3:6-10, 16-18. Mt 23:27-32
Illusion of Appearance
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus continues to rebuke the Pharisees and the scribes of His time. Jesus warns them about the illusion of appearance.
The expression “whitewashed tombs” is used here in two ways.
First, it refers to the illusion of appearance in the Pharisees and the scribes. In the time of Jesus, there were two kinds of tombs. Some were carved into the caves of the hills. Others were made by digging the ground, burying the dead, and building a memorial over the place. Jesus refers to this second kind of tomb.
Some tombs were decorated outside with stones and colours. But when they were opened, inside there were bones and decaying bodies. Jesus uses this as an image. The Pharisees and the scribes created an outward appearance through their religious dress and practices. But inside, they were full of uncleanness: violence and hatred. Their hatred toward Jesus, and the violence they would soon commit against Him, can be understood as this inner uncleanness.
Second, Jesus speaks about building tombs for the prophets. Among the Jews, there was a practice of honouring the tombs of the prophets. This practice continues even today. But Jesus asks: what is the use of building and honouring the tombs of the prophets after refusing to listen to their message and killing them? This too is an illusion of appearance. Indirectly, Jesus also foretells that He too will soon be killed by them.
In the first reading, Paul gives instruction to the believers in the Church of Thessalonica who were living in idleness. Since some of them thought that the world would soon end, they remained idle and did nothing. Their thought was: if everything is going to end, what is the use of working?
Paul presents his own example of labour. Even if the end of the world and the resurrection of the dead remain as hope in our hearts, we must still give our labour for the life of today. This is Paul’s teaching.
Today’s readings give us two lessons.
First, we must avoid the illusion of appearance. The distance between our outward appearance and our inner nature must become smaller. When our inner self is renewed, we become beautiful outwardly too.
Second, we must examine our understanding of work. Work gives us self-sufficiency. It also prevents us from becoming a burden to others.
Jesus invites us to remove the illusion of appearance. Paul invites us to live through honest work. Let our outside and inside become one. Let our faith not be only display. Let our work become a sign of responsibility.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
A Yesni Prays Initiative
Yesu Karunanidhi 
Leave a comment