One of the many things I love about serving in the youth ministry is the questions they ask. Like, “Why do we have to pray if God already knows what He’s going to do?” It’s beautiful because many of them honestly seek answers. It is easy to ask questions like these sarcastically, not to encourage discussion but to shut it down as if the question in itself is a statement. But those who genuinely seek ask questions to open doors, not close them.

As we grow old, we stop asking questions like these. Sometimes, it’s because we think we already know the answers. Other times, it’s because we’re too proud to be perceived as not knowing. But is it so bad to want to know more about something as important as what we say we believe? Let’s learn to ask with the heart of a seeker instead of a cynic.

Yes, God already knows what He’s going to do. Yet He invites us to take part in it anyway. 

Mon Reyes (rizmonreyes@gmail.com)

reflect

“The first step to receiving an answer is being brave enough to ask a question.” (Kaitlyn Bouchillon)

Jesus, I thank You for Your goodness. Thank You that You choose to reveal Yourself to me. Help me know You more and more each day. Amen.

St. Louis of France, pray for us.

The virtuous life is a pursuit of the glory God offers us. It is a goal worthy of our constant focus, sustaining us through the trials and challenges of discipleship. Let us strive to attain the fulfillment of eternal life with God in heaven, seeking His glory above all, not our own.

¹ We ask you, brothers and sisters, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, ² not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand. ³ Let no one deceive you in any way. ¹⁴ To this end he has also called you through our Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. ¹⁶ May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, ¹⁷ encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 96:10, 11-12, 13

R: The Lord comes to judge the earth.

¹⁰ Say among the nations: the Lord is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity. (R) ¹¹ Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; ¹² let the plains be joyful and all that is in them! Then shall all the trees of the forest exult. (R) ¹³ Before the Lord, for he comes; for he comes to rule the earth. He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy. (R)

Gospel | Matthew 23:23-26

Our actions should not be governed by the opinions of others but by the call to righteousness. Doing what is right must command our attention and commitment. The Pharisees are condemned as hypocrites because, despite knowing what is right, they prioritize appearances over true obedience to God. When we reflect on eternal life as a reality beyond earthly death, these fleeting judgments lose significance. Let us remain focused on the praise that truly matters—the praise that comes from the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

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

²³ Jesus said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. ²⁴ Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! ²⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.”

Reflect

“Lord, grant us the wisdom and discernment to recognize hypocrisy in ourselves and others, and the courage to speak truth and act with integrity. Shield us from the allure of false pretenses and guide us towards genuine faith and actions. Amen.” (Prayer for Protection Against Hypocrisy)

Read the Bible in one year! Read PSALMS 1 - 5 today.

Today, Jesus reminds us that it is not enough to look religious—rather, we must live with integrity. “Woe to you,” He says, “for you tithe mint and dill, but neglect justice, mercy, and faith.” Jesus is not condemning doctrine or worship—far from it! Doctrine is beautiful; worship lifts our souls to God. But they must lead to something more: a heart renewed, a life transformed.

Imagine someone who lovingly prepares a magnificent altar for Mass but refuses to forgive a sibling. Or someone who passionately studies every Church teaching but mistreats employees with harshness. Doctrine and worship are not boxes to check—they are living paths meant to reshape us from the inside out.

Take the example of St. Teresa of Calcutta. Her deep Eucharistic devotion was not separate from her service to the poorest; it fueled her tenderness. Or think of a parishioner who faithfully attends daily Mass, then spends their afternoon visiting a sick neighbor—not because anyone sees, but because love demands it.

Jesus says, “First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean.” When our hearts are aligned with God’s love, doctrine and worship become radiant—not duties but deep joys, not burdens but wings.

Let us love, study, and celebrate our faith—but let us also allow it to flow into justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Let our worship on Sunday transform how we listen to a crying child, speak to a cashier, and defend someone wronged. 

For the true beauty of our faith shines not only in chants and prayers, but in lives of compassion, honesty, and hope. That is worship in spirit and in truth—and that is the holiness Jesus longs to see. 

Fr. Joel Camaya, SDB

reflection questions

Does your practice of faith—Mass, prayers, devotions—lead you to become more just, merciful, and compassionate in your daily life? What concrete step can you take today to let your worship flow into service, especially toward someone in need or difficult to love?

Lord, purify my heart. May my worship lead to justice, mercy, and love—inside and out, in all I do. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _____________________________________