Paul expressed a pastoral and parental concern for the people in the Church at Thessalonica. He reminded them that he had worked to pay his own way so he wouldn't burden them financially. Paul also pointed out that he and those with him had witnessed God's love by nurturing their faith and caring for them with a parent's concern. As Paul encouraged the people to live a godly life, he also let them know that he was grateful for their belief in the Word of God.

The reading from Matthew focuses on two of the seven "woes" Jesus was expressing against the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus accused them of being inconsistent - they presented a righteous face to the outside world while in actual fact, they were hypocritical and wicked. Jesus then accused the scribes (teachers of the law) and the Pharisees of being no better than their ancestors, who killed the prophets and the righteous by building monuments to the dead. They were continuing to do the same as their ancestors.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to reflect the life of Christ within as well as without.