August 23, 2025 Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17; Matthew 23:1-12
God abundantly blesses the good and generous heart of Ruth. Naomi and Ruth find themselves in Bethlehem, where Ruth goes to glean in the field of Boaz, a kinsman of Naomi’s late husband and a prominent, wealthy man. Boaz has heard all that took place in Moab and how Ruth came to Bethlehem with Naomi. He shows her kindness and offers her protection. Eventually, Boaz marries her, and a son is born to them. The neighbours name him Obed, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi” (verse 17).
This event is proof of God’s unfailing faithfulness, love, compassion, and kindness, as well as His providence for those who trust in Him. It is also beautiful to see how Naomi supports Ruth in every possible way to bring her to meet Boaz, or rather, how the hand of God has been leading and guiding her all along. Obed becomes the father of Jesse, who in turn becomes the father of King David. In this way, Ruth, despite her Gentile origin, becomes the great-great-grandmother of Jesus.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses the crowds and his disciples, critiquing the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He tells the people to follow what they teach, but not to imitate their actions, for they do not practice what they preach. Their religiosity is performed to show off, to seek honour at banquets and in marketplaces, and to be greeted with titles such as “rabbi,” “teacher,” and “father.” Jesus reminds them that there is only one Father, our Father in heaven, and only one Teacher, Jesus Christ himself, in whose presence they stand. His disciples are called to learn that true greatness lies in humility and service. As Jesus says in verse 11: “The greatest among you will be your servant.” True leaders teach by example, and the Holy Scriptures remain their permanent guide.
Call to Action: Even if everything looks bleak, as in the case of Ruth, humble surrender to God can resolve all the problems of life. Do I truly believe it?
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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