21st Week in Ordinary Time : Tuesday 26th August 2025

Our efforts to speak truthfully can be coloured by our bias and bad experiences, hindering our ability to act congruently with our beliefs and core values. However, St Paul shows us that these human traits can be reconciled for fruitful discipleship and service. His evangelising missions were not characterised by error, dishonesty nor motivated by vainglory or greed. He asserted he was sincere and not a charlatan; his mission to preach the Gospel was approved by God and driven by the purest of motives – ‘not to please men but God Who can read our inmost thoughts.’ (v4). Jesus, knowing the thoughts of the Pharisees, hides no fear of exposing their insincerity.

St Paul’s sincerity to evangelise is like a mother nurturing her own children with devotion and sacrificial love. Despite receiving rough treatment and insults before his visit to Thessalonica, and being falsely accused with Silas, flogged and thrown into prison at Philippi, he did not become bitter or despairing. Instead, these experiences became transformative for him to testify not his own truth, but that of his Master, boldly and convincingly. His life and beliefs were well integrated. While sincerity means being true to others, authenticity is being a true beloved child of God. St Paul was able to exemplify this because he admitted ‘it is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me. (Gal 2:20). Do my experiences help or hinder me from loving and serving Jesus?

PRAYER: Lord, may Your Word always be alive and active in me.