You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings

1Ts 1,1-5.8b-10; Ps 149; Mt 23,13-22
26 AUGUST

False prophecy always closes the kingdom of heaven. It closes it for the just and for the unjust, for the good and for the bad alike. Why does it also close it for the righteous? The answer is offered us by the prophet Ezekiel. It deserves all our intelligent and wise attention.

Thus the word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, prophesy! Say to those who prophesy their own thought: Hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God: Woe to those prophets who are fools, who follow their own spirit and have seen no vision. Like foxes among ruins are your prophets, O Israel! You did not step into the breach, nor did you build a wall about the house of Israel that would stand firm against attack on the day of the Lord. Their visions are false and their divination lying. They say, “Thus says the Lord!” though the Lord did not send them; then they wait for him to fulfil their word! Was not the vision you saw false, and your divination lying? Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have spoken falsehood and have seen lying visions, therefore see! I am coming at you, says the Lord God. But I will stretch out my hand against the prophets who have false visions and who foretell lies. They shall not belong to the community of my people, nor be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, nor enter the land of Israel; thus you shall know that I am the Lord.

For the very reason that they led my people astray, saying, “Peace!” when there was no peace, and that, as one built a wall, they would cover it with whitewash, say then to the whitewashers: I will bring down a flooding rain; hailstones shall fall, and a storm wind shall break out. And when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked: Where is the whitewash you spread on? Therefore thus says the Lord God: In my fury I will let loose storm winds; because of my anger there shall be a flooding rain, and hailstones shall fall with destructive wrath. I will tear down the wall that you have whitewashed and level it to the ground, laying bare its foundations. When it falls, you shall be crushed beneath it; thus you shall know that I am the Lord. Now, son of man, turn toward the daughters of your people who prophesy their own thoughts; against these, prophesy: Thus says the Lord God: Woe to those who sew bands for everyone’s wrists and make veils for every size of head so as to entrap their owners. Do you think to entrap the lives of my people, yet keep yourselves alive? You dishonour me before my people with handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread, killing those who should not die and keeping alive those who should not live, lying to my people who willingly hear lies. Because you have disheartened the upright man with lies when I did not wish him grieved, and have encouraged the wicked man not to turn from his evil conduct and save his life; therefore you shall no longer see false visions and practice divination, but I will rescue my people from your power. Thus you shall know that I am the Lord (Cf. Ez. 13,1-23).

The false prophets close the kingdom for themselves. They betrayed and denied the Lord. They close it for the righteous because they demoralize them. They close it for the wicked, they strengthen them in their iniquity. Has not today the kingdom of heaven been closed to all the people of God, having false prophets closed hell and declared that everyone will go to Heaven? Why should the righteous be righteous? Why should the wicked be converted?

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves. “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’ Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’ You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.

Before uttering a false word about God, about Christ, about the Gospel and about the truths that regulate eternity, first the minister of the Word should descend into hell, test eternal fire, then return to earth, and only then he could say falsehood.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints arrange that every minister of the Word is the mouth of God.