The readings of this day speak of faithful witnesses and false witnesses, for it is the Holy Church that is filled with faithful witnesses.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
(Matthew 5)
The danger is that there are false witnesses in the church who falsify the image of the church and present the wrong image of the head of the church
” For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.” (Romans 2)
The readings begin with the book of Exodus, which speaks of Aaron and Moses as faithful witnesses sent by the Lord to lead the people out of the land of Egypt and the grace that the Lord gave them in the eyes of the people and in the eyes of Pharaoh’s servants.
“And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.” (Exodus 11)
The book of Isaiah declares how God invalidates false witnesses and how He evaluates the words of faithful witnesses.
“Who frustrates the signs of the babblers, And drives diviners mad; Who turns wise men backward, And makes their knowledge foolishness;
Who confirms the word of His servant, And performs the counsel of His messengers;” (Isaiah 44)
The book of Proverbs reveals how to be faithful witnesses of God.
“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it.
Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.”
(Proverbs 8)
While in the book of Job, the nature of false witnesses and why they are condemned are shown.
“Because they turned back from Him, And would not consider any of His ways,
So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him; For He hears the cry of the afflicted.” (Job 34)
Strangely, in the Matins psalm, the Lord reassures the soul that He hears the cries of the destitutes and their requests, that is, despite the false witnesses, God personally intervenes for the salvation of His children.
“He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, And shall not despise their prayer.
To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, And His praise in Jerusalem,” (Psalms 102)
The Matins Gospel presents a picture of false witnesses who are concerned with form without substance and what is for people about what is for God.
“Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”
He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Mark 7)
Pauline Epistle confirms this unrue and false image of false teachers who have forgotten and neglected the life of repentance.
” Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God,
and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,
and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.
You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? ” (Romans 2)
Catholic Epistle compare faithful witnesses of the Lord, such as prophets like the righteous Noah, with false witnesses.
” for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness,” (2 Peter 1, 2)
In Praxis, St. Paul explains how God visited him, freed him from the letter to the spirit and made him his faithful witness.
“They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.” (Acts 26)
But the psalm of the liturgy warns against God’s accounting of false witnesses.
” Declare His deeds among the people. When He avenges blood, He remembers them;” (Psalms 9)
The Gospel of the liturgy closes with the Lord’s woes of the lawyers, who carry heavy loads for people.
“And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.” (Luke 11)
The summary of the readings
The Holy Church is filled with faithful witnesses. Exodus
God invalidates false witnesses and supports faithful witnesses. The book of Isaiah
The nature of faithful witnesses. Proverbs
The nature of false witnesses. The book of Job
God hears the cries of the poor. The Matins Psalm
False witnesses are concerned with form without substance. The Matins gospel
The false witnesses do not review themselves. Pauline Epistle
False witnesses deny the Lord and are engaged in greed. Catholic Epistle
God visits the Apostle Paul and turns him into an honest witness. Praxis
God will condemn false witnesses and will avenge the blood of faithful witnesses. Psalm and gospel liturgy