Wednesday 26 August 2026 - A clean heart
Wednesday 26 August 2026
Today is Wednesday the 26th of August, in the 21st week of Ordinary Time. Paul Zach and Jessica Fox sing, ‘Create in Me’, a setting of Psalm 51. Can you make this your own prayer today? Create in me a clean heart, O Lord Create in me a clean heart, O Lord Against you only I have sinned Done evil in your sight But you have shown me what I’ve done With mercy in your eyes Then wash my shame and guilt away My weary soul renew From all my sinning turn your face Let me return to you Create in me a clean heart, O Lord Create in me a clean heart, O Lord So I will give you what you ask A humble, broken heart A spirit burning down to ash Within your flame, O God And this will be your mercy, Lord Transforming all of me Til every act and every word Your love and glory speaks Create in me a clean heart, O Lord Create in me a clean heart, O Lord Have mercy on me According to your endless love Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 23:27-32 ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, “If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.” Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors.’ In today’s reading we find Jesus confronting the scribes and Pharisees on their outward appearance and the hypocrisy of their inner lives. Tombs in those days were painted white, making them shine, so that no one would touch them by accident and become unclean. Jesus accuses the scribes and pharisees of looking white like these tombs but on the inside filled with the filth of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Imagine now that you are standing in the crowd as Jesus is making his accusations. How do you feel? In your place among the crowd, take a moment to ask yourself the question, “Is there any way in which I am like a whitewashed tomb, looking good on the outside but unclean within? As the reading is read again, continue to imagine that you are with the crowd as they listen. Matthew 23:27-32 ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, “If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.” Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors.’ Jesus says, “Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors.” The scribes and Pharisees have long been rejecting the prophets and will also reject Jesus himself. As we come to an end of our prayer today, picture yourself walking away from this scene, just you, alone with the Lord. Speak with the Lord about any thoughts and feelings that have arisen for you today, as one friend with another. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen
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Wednesday 26 August 2026
Today is Wednesday the 26th of August, in the 21st week of Ordinary Time. Paul Zach and Jessica Fox sing, ‘Create in Me’, a setting of Psalm 51. Can you make this your own prayer today? Create in me a clean heart, O Lord Create in me a clean heart, O Lord Against you only I have sinned Done evil in your sight But you have shown me what I’ve done With mercy in your eyes Then wash my shame and guilt away My weary soul renew From all my sinning turn your face Let me return to you Create in me a clean heart, O Lord Create in me a clean heart, O Lord So I will give you what you ask A humble, broken heart A spirit burning down to ash Within your flame, O God And this will be your mercy, Lord Transforming all of me Til every act and every word Your love and glory speaks Create in me a clean heart, O Lord Create in me a clean heart, O Lord Have mercy on me According to your endless love Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 23:27-32 ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, “If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.” Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors.’ In today’s reading we find Jesus confronting the scribes and Pharisees on their outward appearance and the hypocrisy of their inner lives. Tombs in those days were painted white, making them shine, so that no one would touch them by accident and become unclean. Jesus accuses the scribes and pharisees of looking white like these tombs but on the inside filled with the filth of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Imagine now that you are standing in the crowd as Jesus is making his accusations. How do you feel? In your place among the crowd, take a moment to ask yourself the question, “Is there any way in which I am like a whitewashed tomb, looking good on the outside but unclean within? As the reading is read again, continue to imagine that you are with the crowd as they listen. Matthew 23:27-32 ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, “If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.” Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors.’ Jesus says, “Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors.” The scribes and Pharisees have long been rejecting the prophets and will also reject Jesus himself. As we come to an end of our prayer today, picture yourself walking away from this scene, just you, alone with the Lord. Speak with the Lord about any thoughts and feelings that have arisen for you today, as one friend with another. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen
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