June 28, 2026
The Gospel according to St. Matthew, v. 20-24.
âAt that time, Jesus said to His disciples: Unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not murder, and whosoever shall murder, shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire. Therefore, if thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother; and then coming, thou shalt offer thy gift.â
Summary of the Morrowâs Meditation
We will meditate to-morrow upon the first sentence of the gospel of the day: âUnless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven,â and we shall learn thence that true and solid virtue is, 1st, interior, 2d, humble, 3d, gentle and affable. We will then make the resolution: 1st, to give to our virtue these three characteristics; 2d, to apply ourselves specially to-morrow to be meek and humble towards every one. We will retain as our spiritual nosegay the words of our gospel: âUnless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.â
Meditation for the Morning
Let us adore with love and trembling Our Lord addressing to us, for the good of our souls, these serious and solemn words: âUnless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.â These Pharisees fasted twice a week, they made long and frequent prayers, they were exact in paying the taxes, and preached almost continually. He who were to do as much at the present day would pass for a saint in the opinion of the world; and yet in order to be one in the eyes of God, Jesus Christ declares to us that we must do much more. Let us thank Him for this lesson, and let us beg of Him to enable us rightly to comprehend the characteristics of true and solid virtue.
FIRST POINT
True Virtue is Interior
The Pharisees gave their principal cares to the exterior. Exact down to a scruple in observing the slightest ceremonies of the law and the traditions of their fathers, they affected to appear everywhere with a well regulated exterior; and in the bottom of their hearts they violated this same law by objects and intentions wherein an eye to the creature had more share than an eye toward God; they were, says Jesus Christ, like to whited sepulchres which appear beautiful to the eyes and within are full of corruption. Oh, how many Christians are there still at the present day who are true whited sepulchres, great observers of some insignificant practices, and within full of hatred, jealous, susceptible, filled with defects which they try to hide from man! Such is not true and solid virtue. It does not suffice to appear righteous in the eyes of the world, which only sees the exterior; we must be so in the eyes of God, who sees into the bottom of the heart (I. Kings xvi. 7). We may perform all kinds of good works, of great acts of edification, but if the intention be not pure and holy, if human aims and secret motives of self-interest, if the desire to make ourselves esteemed, if vanity and pride inspire us, our virtue is false, because it is only exterior; it is an alloy which will not be received by God; it is a disguise which will only render us more worthy of condemnation. Let us here examine our conscience.
SECOND POINT
True Virtue is Humble
The Pharisees sought only to be esteemed by men; they prayed in the midst of the public places, that every one might see them; they had trumpets blown before them when they gave alms; in a word, the only object they had in their works was to obtain reputation and esteem (Matt. xxiii. 1). Oh, how many Christians resemble them! Jealous of deference and pre-eminence, they desire to be esteemed and honored and deferred to in everything (Ibid. 6, 7). True virtue is very different. It is humble, and has no thought of itself. It is not for us to esteem ourselves, nor to wish to be esteemed; it is for God to judge and recompense us. To Him alone be all honor and glory (I. Tim. i. 17). However little we do, provided it be from a desire to please Him, we shall be recompensed for it; and however great may be the things we do, if we perform them with the object of being praised by men, we shall receive no recompense. It is true that we ought to edify our brethren by our good example; but, if the good work appear in public, the intention whereby we propose to ourselves to please God ought always to remain in the secret of our heart. Have we these sentiments of a truly humble soul, which in all things has regard only to God, without any thought of self or any creature whatever?
THIRD POINT
True Virtue is Gentle and Affable
The Pharisees, full of esteem for themselves, felt only contempt for others. âI am not as the rest of menâ (Luke xviii. 11), the Pharisee said when he was praying in the temple; and they dared to blame Jesus Christ because He ate and conversed with sinners. It is not thus that true virtue acts. It does not feel contempt for any one, and never addresses any hard or disagreeable speeches to any one whatever; as it places itself beneath the whole world in its own esteem, it behaves to all with consideration and respect, with kindness and charity; no words except such as are marked by gentleness and kindness ever issue from its lips (Cant. iv. 11). Let us examine whether this is a characteristic of our virtue, and whether we do not sometimes give way to ill-tempered speeches, calculated to wound and grieve our neighbor?
Resolutions and spiritual nosegay as above.