Homily for Tuesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time

It's not common to think of Jesus using humor to highlight faulty mindsets, but His imagery in today's Gospel has a playful twist. He humorously accuses the Pharisees of straining out gnats while swallowing camels. A gnat is practically invisible, while a camel is large and imposing. This amusing and relatable image of someone carefully straining out a tiny gnat while cheerfully swallowing an entire camel emphasizes an important point.

Jesus uses this metaphor to gently ridicule those who make a big deal out of insignificant matters while happily ignoring what is essential. They meticulously pay tithes on herbs yet overlook justice, mercy, and fidelity. Jesus emphasizes the need to prioritize correctly and maintain balance.

We often become overly focused on minor concerns, neglecting what truly matters. On this occasion, Jesus highlights what is essential: justice, mercy, and fidelity. Justice and mercy concern our relationships with our neighbors, while fidelity pertains to our relationship with God. Jesus teaches that the key to a meaningful life is to prioritize these two types of relationships. Everything else, no matter how urgent it may seem, is secondary. St. Paul echoes this sentiment by stating, "the only thing that matters is faith expressing itself in love."