November 5th, 2023 - Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - Ave Maria Parish

In today’s gospel, Jesus bemoans the fact that these religious leaders did not practice what they preached. It seems that they were always wearing masks and costumes, pretending to be holy and upright, but in fact they passed judgment on others with their words and did not lift a finger to help ease other people’s burdens. Jesus invites us to live in the real world of his Father’s house -- where the poor suffer injustice and we have to do something about it; where the sick are lonely and we have to care for them; where the unborn, women, and the aging can all be subject to violence and we have to be their advocates; where people have suffered losses and we have to be there to support them. The kingdom of God is the real world of authentic, humble service of the Lord and our neighbor.