Monday. [I Cor. 9:13-18; Matt. 16:1-6]

   The Pharisees and Sadducees desired of the Lord that He would show them a sign, but they did not see the sign before their very eyes. The Lord Himself was the sign—His teaching and deeds clearly showed who He was; no additional evidence was needed. The works that I do…they bear witness of me (John 10:25), He said to the Jews. The Lord denounced them, saying, Ye can discern the face of the sky, but the signs of the times ye cannot discern. Why did this happen with them? Because they lived an outward life, and did not enter within themselves. Without collectedness, without attentiveness and without self-searching it is impossible to notice or comprehend the works of God. This has continued until this day. Christianity is before everyone’s eyes as the true sign of God; but those who look at it do not see this, are shaken in faith and step away. Their eyes lose the ability to see the stamp of divinity in it, and they are ready to ask for special signs from heaven, like the Jews. But a sign is not given and shall not be given, because those who seek this do so only to tempt, and not in order to walk the path of Christ. Just enter onto this path, and from the first step you will see that it is divine, that it leads to God and brings God nearer to you. The Lord said to the Jews: “there shall no sign be given…but the sign of the prophet Jonas.” The Lord foresaw today’s unbelievers as well, and prepared for them an answer: Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn… (Matt. 24:30).

Tuesday. [I Cor. 10:5-12; Matt. 16:6-12]

   Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, said the Lord. The Sadducees are a model of carelessness; the Pharisees represent people who are outwardly zealous. The former do nothing, whereas the latter, although they look very busy, nothing really comes of them. Similar to these are members of our modern society who are enticed by the ideas of humanism. You hear them talk only about the good of the people, but no good ever comes to the people, for it is all talk and no action. Their humanism is feigned; they make only the appearance of humaneness, but in reality they are egoists. Speech does not require sacrifice—they speak lavishly; but when the matter touches sacrifices, they retreat. Nowadays almost everyone is an actor; some show off in front of others as being zealous for good, and particularly for enlightenment, and they are all quite satisfied when their own verbal testimony portrays them as being really this way. Therefore, as soon as some charitable undertaking comes up among us, talk is everywhere, but deeds do not come to fruition. Do not expect sacrifices from them; they have no need to help others, as long as their affairs are going well. But it also happens that, without any particular mental effort over real plans to help their neighbors, they give alms in order to be left alone. The Lord has condemned both categories, and has commanded us to be filled with sincere love for one another, which does not love to show off.