A WORD FOR TODAY 23 AUGUST 2022

*A WORD FOR TODAY*

*BE GOOD ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE*

_“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity. You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean."(Matthew 23:25-26)_

_*Character building is something you must make effort to pursue if you intend to be take seriously in life. You dont just live as you want to live, if you are going to be seen as a true child of God, what you do must definitely correspond to what you say.*_

_Jesus continues in His chastisement of the behaviour of the pharisees and Scribes. He told them today that they should focus more on matters of justice, faith and mercy, than on the things that does not really matter. They speak more about the things that favour their selfish desire, but they leave the weightier matters of the law that affect the people greatly._

_*If we must be true followers of our Lord Jesus Christ we must aim to be upright in words and deeds. Our character and behaviour must show the world that we are connected to Him, we must wash and clean ourselves from evil and embrace everything that makes us holy and pure.*_

_Hypocrisy is just living a lie, you are not what you say you are. You speak well on the outside, but on the inside you are wicked and dangerous. You live a double standard and are concerned only about the things that favour you. It is simply a fake lifestyle and is not acceptable before God._

_*We must strive not to neglect the things that will make us to be impeccable in character. We must constantly build on that which make us grow in the spirit and avoid the things that make us become unkind and evil.*_

_To be like Christ in word and deed you must work hard everyday to live a good life and to avoid evil and to be worthy of your calling as a child of God. We must remove attitudes of deceit, envy, jealousy, selfishness, bitterness and hatred from our lives and grow in mercy, love, forgiveness, justice and compassion. We must strive everyday to shine as the light both on the inside and outside. In this way, the world will know us and believe that we are God's children._

_*Good morning dearest one. Smile😊as you do your work and do have a wonderful day. May Jesus give you the grace to strive everyday to be like Him. Amen. And may the Almighty God bless you: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.*_

*Meditation:* 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3,14-17/Psalm 96:10-13/Matthew 23:23-26

*Watch-Word:* The Lord comes to judge the earth.

*If you make sincere effort to be like Christ you will definitely succeed. Keep striving until you reach your spiritual goal.*

(Tuesday of the twenty-first week in the ordinary time. Year II)

*© Rev. Fr. Augustine Eleke*