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Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 : Galatians 5:18-25

Brothers and sisters:
If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are obvious:
immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry,
sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy,
outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness,
dissensions, factions, occasions of envy,
drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.
I warn you, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh
with its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6

R. (see Jn 8:12) Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

Alleluia  : John 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel :Luke 11:42-46

The Lord said:
“Woe to you Pharisees!
You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb,
but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.
These you should have done, without overlooking the others.
Woe to you Pharisees!
You love the seat of honor in synagogues
and greetings in marketplaces.
Woe to you!
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.”

Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply,
“Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.”
And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law!
You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

 Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a powerful truth:
The Christian life is not defined by outward appearances but by the inner transformation of the Holy Spirit.
• Paul calls us to crucify the works of the flesh and bear the fruit of the Spirit.
• The psalm describes the just as deeply rooted, nourished, and fruitful.
• Jesus warns against religious hypocrisy and invites us to authentic interior conversion.
The message is clear: Holiness is not performance — it is transformation. Not external — but internal. Not ritual — but Spirit‑led living.

Reflection for the Day

Paul does not soften his words.
He lists the works of the flesh plainly:
• jealousy
• rivalry
• selfishness
• impurity
• hatred
• outbursts of anger
• envy
• division
These are not merely “bad habits.” They are signs of a heart not surrendered to the Spirit.
But then Paul gives us the beautiful alternative:
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self‑control.”
Notice: He does not say fruits — but fruit. The Spirit produces all of these together in a heart that is surrendered.
Psalm 1 deepens this image:
The person who delights in God’s Word is like a tree planted near running water — steady, nourished, fruitful, unfading.
Holiness is not frantic effort. It is rootedness. It is staying close to the Source.
Then Jesus confronts the Pharisees.
They tithe herbs — tiny acts of religious precision — but neglect justice, mercy, and love.
They love honor, titles, and recognition but refuse to lift burdens from others.
Jesus exposes the danger of external religion:
“You are like unseen graves.”
Beautiful on the outside, but spiritually dead within.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Examine your heart honestly.
   Are the works of the flesh present? Or is the fruit of the Spirit growing?
2. Root yourself in God’s Word.
   Like the tree by running water, let Scripture nourish your soul daily.
3. Seek interior holiness.
   Let justice, mercy, and love define your faith — not appearances, titles, or rituals.
   Let today be a day of deep spiritual honesty and renewed surrender to the Holy Spirit.

 Prayer for Today

Holy Spirit, come into my heart and transform me from within.
Uproot every work of the flesh — jealousy, anger, selfishness, division — and plant in me Your fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self‑control.
Make me like the tree planted by running water, steady, nourished, and fruitful.
Lord Jesus, free me from external religion and lead me into authentic holiness.
May my life reflect Your justice, Your mercy, and Your love.
Amen.