…..St Augustine (m)
Do Away With Hypocrisy!
Introduction
Happy are we if we can say with St Paul that we have done nothing to please people but that our only aim is to please God and to care tenderly for people.
We probably agree with Jesus’ strong condemnation of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. But hypocrisy is still with us today. The whitewashing of tombs goes on, and from an individual corruption it has pervaded society itself. The wrongs of the state, and the Church too, are covered up. Injustices and exploitation are passed over in silence or are condemned in such general terms that even oppressors agree. We close our eyes and our consciences are undisturbed because we think we have no share in the evil that goes on. Our deeds do not match our words.
1 Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
You recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery. Working night and day in order not to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the Gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers. As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children, exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his Kingdom and glory. And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 139:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab
R. (1) You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there. R.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast. R.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall hide me,
and night shall be my light”–
For you darkness itself is not dark,
and night shines as the day. R.
Alleluia: 1 John 2:5
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 23:27-32
Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; now fill up what your ancestors measured out!”
Commentary
Stronger words than these regarding the Scribes and Pharisees are not found in Jesus’ teaching. Today they are likened to tombs of the “rich” dead, externally maintained in the best condition but internally a place of bones and decay. Religious leaders maintained all the signs of correctness but in their hearts were far from God. There is a word of warning there. It is quite possible for any of us to fall into ungodly habits that we can justify in our own minds. At the same time we can retain all the externals of a pious life while our hearts remain distant from God.
Quite different is the teaching of Paul today. While among the Thessalonians he had worked tirelessly to proclaim the gospel of God without being a burden to them. He likens himself to the father of a family, encouraging and exhorting them to walk in a way worthy of God’s call. And he now gives thanks to God that they received the message, not as the word of men, but as the word of God. Paul speaks with utter candor because there is nothing to hide. His life is an open book before God and humans. As related yesterday, taxing people in the Church, disguised as Church projects that ends in personal pockets and accounts is hypocrisy crying before the Lord in the heavens.
Let us pray that in all we do a spirit of openness may be present. Our life here is to be lived in a spirit of faith with no agenda other than that to which God has called us. Over the filth of betrayal the enemies of Jesus wore the garments of uprightness. The gospel we profess is not a human teaching but that of the living God.
Blessing
Let us never give in to the temptation of trying to appear better to people than we are, perhaps somehow trying to impress God! Let us humbly ask for his blessing. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!