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Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 : 1 Corinthians 5:1-8

Brothers and sisters:
It is widely reported that there is immorality among you,
and immorality of a kind not found even among pagans–
a man living with his father’s wife.
And you are inflated with pride.
Should you not rather have been sorrowful?
The one who did this deed should be expelled from your midst.
I, for my part, although absent in body but present in spirit,
have already, as if present,
pronounced judgment on the one who has committed this deed,
in the name of our Lord Jesus:
when you have gathered together and I am with you in spirit
with the power of the Lord Jesus,
you are to deliver this man to Satan
for the destruction of his flesh,
so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

Your boasting is not appropriate.
Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?
Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough,
inasmuch as you are unleavened.
For our Paschal Lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.
Therefore, let us celebrate the feast,
not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 5:5-6, 7, 12

R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
For you, O God, delight not in wickedness;
no evil man remains with you;
the arrogant may not stand in your sight.
You hate all evildoers.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
You destroy all who speak falsehood;
The bloodthirsty and the deceitful
the LORD abhors.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
But let all who take refuge in you
be glad and exult forever.
Protect them, that you may be the joy
of those who love your name.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.

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 6:6-11

On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught,
and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely
to see if he would cure on the sabbath
so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions
and said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up and stand before us.”
And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them,
“I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath
rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
Looking around at them all, he then said to him,
“Stretch out your hand.”
He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged
and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

 Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a challenging but freeing truth:

Holiness requires courage—courage to confront sin, courage to choose truth, and courage to do good even when others resist.

• Paul calls the community to integrity and purification.
• The psalm reminds us that God protects those who walk in sincerity.
• Jesus shows that mercy is never restricted by human rules.

The message is clear: God desires a heart purified by truth and a life committed to doing good.

 Reflection for the Day

Paul’s words to the Corinthians are bold and uncomfortable.
He confronts a scandal that the community has tolerated. Instead of grieving and correcting the wrongdoing, they have grown complacent—even proud. Paul warns them:
“A little yeast leavens the whole dough.”
In other words:
• Small compromises become big patterns.
• Hidden sins affect the whole community.
• Holiness requires cleansing, not tolerance of what destroys.
This is not about harshness—it is about love that protects.
Psalm 5 reinforces this truth. God delights in sincerity, not in appearances. He surrounds the upright with His favor and shields those who seek Him honestly.
Then the Gospel brings us into a moment of tension.
Jesus enters the synagogue on the Sabbath. The Pharisees watch Him—not to learn, but to accuse. A man with a withered hand stands before Him.
Jesus asks a piercing question:
“Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath… to save life rather than to destroy it?”
Silence.
Fear.
Rigid hearts.
But Jesus chooses mercy. He heals the man, restoring not only his hand but his dignity.
The Pharisees respond with rage.
This moment reveals a deep truth:

Doing good will not always be applauded—
but it is always God’s will.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Purify your heart.
   Remove the “old yeast” of compromise, pride, or hidden sin.
2. Walk in sincerity.
   Let your life reflect truth, integrity, and openness before God.
3. Choose mercy courageously.
   Do good even when it is inconvenient, unpopular, or misunderstood.
   Let today be a day of cleansing, courage, and compassion.

 Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, purify my heart from anything that keeps me from You. Give me the courage to confront what is wrong and the humility to walk in sincerity and truth.
Teach me to choose mercy over fear, compassion over rigidity, and goodness over comfort.
Heal what is withered in my life and make me an instrument of Your love today.
Amen.