Imagine cooking eggs for breakfast. But upon breaking the eggs, there was no white or yoke inside. That would be disappointing, right?

Sadly, many of us live this way. We focus primarily on the outer self, but are not at all concerned with the interior life. We’re obsessed at how others perceive us more than how God sees us for who we are. We follow trends to go viral and become popular at the expense of what truly matters in the heart.

While there is nothing wrong about wanting to look good and feel good, to be physically attractive and healthy, it shouldn’t be at the cost of an empty and starving heart, a thirsty soul and spirit, and a polluted and corrupted mind. Otherwise, we become nothing but an empty shell.

It’s an inside job first. It must start from within. It must begin from the inside out. 

Tony Valenzuela (anthonyv1084@gmail.com)

reflect

As you work on your interior life, focus more on the Lord rather than yourself.

Lord, You know me better than I know myself. You have always loved me for who I am. Yet, You are not content to leave me as I am. You want me to grow and become greater today than I was yesterday. Help me, Lord. Journey with me as I work on myself from the inside out. Amen.

Saint Scholastica, virgin, pray for us.

Let us reflect on Solomon’s wonderful prayer of intercession. I am impressed by Solomon’s humility as he expresses wonder and amazement while dwelling among the Israelites and in the Temple he has just finished constructing. May we foster the same amazement within us in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Let us always remember what an amazing gift this is. 

²² Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of the whole community of Israel, and stretching forth his hands toward heaven, ²³ he said, “Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep your covenant of mercy with your servants who are faithful to you with their whole heart. ²⁷ “Can it indeed be that God dwells on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this temple which I have built! ²⁸ Look kindly on the prayer and petition of your servant, O Lord, my God, and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant, utter before you this day. ²⁹ May your eyes watch night and day over this temple, the place where you have decreed you shall be honored; may you heed the prayer which I, your servant, offer in this place. 30 Listen to the petitions of your servant and of your people Israel which they offer in this place. Listen from your heavenly dwelling and grant pardon.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 84:3, 4, 5, 10, 11

R: How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!

³ My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (R) ⁴ Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest in which she puts her young—your altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God! (R) ⁵ Blessed they who dwell in your house! Continually, they praise you. ¹⁰ O God, behold our shield, and look upon the face of your anointed. (R) ¹¹ I had rather one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (R)

Gospel | Mark 7:1-13

Isn’t it crazy how we can get caught up with incidental realities and miss the heart of the matter when it comes to our faith? It is like having a starving person standing at our door and ignoring him so that we will not be late for Mass. Let us not only understand our faith but live it out to the fullest in both its spiritual and social dimensions. 

Gospel Acclamation

Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees; and favor me with your law.

¹ When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, ² they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. ³ (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. ⁴ And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.) ⁵ So, the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” ⁶ He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; ⁷ in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. ⁸ You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” ⁹ He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and whoever curses father or mother shall die. ¹¹ Yet you say, “If someone says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is ‘qorban’ (meaning, dedicated to God), ¹² you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. ¹³ You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”

Reflect

What teachings and traditions of the Church distract you from remaining focused on loving Jesus and your neighbor as you love yourself?

Read the Bible in one year! Read GALATIANS 1 - 3 today.

Outer beauty, inner beauty, or both? Sounds like a pageant question—but it’s really a faith check. In a world that often prioritizes appearances, how we present ourselves certainly matters. But is outer beauty enough to define us? Or do inner qualities—our values, kindness, and integrity—carry more significance?

Outer beauty is captivating, often the first thing people notice. Society celebrates it as a reflection of personal worth, but it’s fleeting. Time, life experiences, and circumstances change it, reminding us that the superficial is temporary.

Inner beauty, however, speaks to who we are at our core—our kindness, compassion, and authenticity. It’s the beauty expressed through our actions and how we treat others. Inner beauty endures—growing from within and shaping the way we engage with the world. Who we are within—created in the image and likeness of God—goes far beyond the curated versions of ourselves portrayed on social media or defined by society’s standards. It’s a deeper beauty, lasting and real.

In the Gospel, Jesus echoes Isaiah’s message, reminding us that true religion is not merely about external rituals but a transformed heart. God calls us to love and serve, and our actions must reflect compassion, justice, and humility. When our hearts and actions align, inner and outer beauty combine to create authentic lives that powerfully reflect God’s love.

Ultimately, both outer and inner beauty play roles in shaping how we navigate the world. But it’s inner beauty that anchors us—guiding how we treat others, live out our faith, and build relationships. True beauty isn’t just a reflection in the mirror; it’s the manifestation of who we are within and how we live that out every day. 

Fr. Paolo Asprer, SSP

reflection question

How do you nurture your inner self?

O Lord, let us behold beauty not in mere form, but in the hearts that beat with Your love. May our lives shine with kindness, compassion, and grace—a reflection of Your divine presence. Guide us to weave both inner and outer beauty into a tapestry of faith, radiant with Your eternal light. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _____________________________