November 5, 2017

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time A Malachi 1: 14 - 2: 2, 8-10; 1 Thessalonians 2: 7-9, 13; Matthew 23: 1-12 When people look at me what do they see? Do they see a person who is dedicated to the Lord? Do they see a person who is honest and is a good example of Jesus or one who just ‘talks’ a good game? Everyone likes to be praised and affirmed. Everyone feels renewed when they are complimented. I must continually remind myself that each person who comes to me was sent by God for help, and most especially to be loved. Each person is equal before God, do I treat them that way? The readings remind me today that I must practice what I preach. It is only with God’s grace and help that I am able to accomplish this. This is true of anyone in authority whether it be a parent, teacher, coach, manager, supervisor, any position that puts one in the position of being the leader or the ‘boss’. I am not called by God to be a hypocrite; no one is. I found some interesting definitions of hypocrite: "dictionary.com — a person who pretends to have virtues, morals or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs…. a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions or statements belie his or her public statements. Merriam-Webster - a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion. Google - a person who indulges in hypocrisy…SYNONYMS: pretender, dissembler, deceiver, liar, pietist, sanctimonious person, plaster saint, informal phony, fraud, sham, fake. I have been made to feel inadequate my whole life by someone who turns out to be a total hypocrite.” I am a child of God who created me out of love and continues to love me so that others may know that they’re loved by God and special because on my words and actions. Am I living this? Malachi, true to his name which means ‘my messenger’, brings the word of God to the people following their return from the Babylon captivity 500 BC. The Temple and the rituals have been restored but the people have grown indifferent. Malachi reprimands the priests for abandoning their sacred duties. They weren’t even teaching and showing the people how God needs them to live. He tells the priests what they are supposed to do: give glory to God’s name, remind the people to the many, many ways that God is constantly present to them and guiding them. God is their Creator and Father; the Priests have the great privilege of blessing the people in God’s name. The people weren’t responding because the priests weren’t teaching and had “turned aside from the way, and have caused many to falter by your instruction…” In a verse that is missing (2:3) the prophet is very graphic in portraying God’s displeasure: “I will rebuke your offering; I will spread dung on your faces.” We are to listen to God’s teaching and live them. Jesus showed us this and lived this. We are all children of God and God shows no partiality. This is easy to say, but hard to live; I have favorites, everyone does. But God loves all. Paul is very thankful that the people of Thessalonica listened to him. They lived what Paul preached because of their deep love of God. They constantly put the Gospel into action. This is what God has called each person to do, to live His Gospel of love. In the Gospel Jesus is giving some rather sharp criticism of the leaders of the Pharisees. Not only was Jesus delivering these but also Matthew’s Jewish community was being taught wrongly by them about how to interpret the Torah. Jesus starts out by telling the Scribes and Pharisees that they sit on the chair of Moses meaning that they ARE the legitimate teaching authorities. The difficulty is what they are saying is totally different from how they are living. They preach one thing and practice another. Jesus called them ‘hypocrites’. They are just like actors without integrity. Jesus tells how certain practices and observances were only meant for the Scribes and Pharisees, but they inflicted them on the people who were incapable of handling these hard and heavy burdens. They also loved to walk around in public wearing the finest clothes and talking the seats of honor. At Jesus’ time the title of rabbi was just beginning to be used to designate an official teacher of the Torah. Jesus was against this saying that He was the only one deserving of this title. To be a follower of Jesus one must not strive after exaltation but after humility; we are nothing without God. We are blessed to be loved and cared for and have the obligation to do the same. Greatness is calculated in terms of service to others. Jesus is saying that these are exactly what the Scribes and Pharisees did not do. Pope Francis, like all popes before him, have been given the title of ‘servant of the servants of God.’ The bottom line truth is that the higher the position, the greater number of people to be served. This is my challenge. This is the challenge of anyone with authority. We may deserve respect because of our ‘position’ but all the more we lead by serving those in our care. In serving with love we show respect and honor them. This is what God does. Earlier in his gospel (Mathew 5:20), Matthew tells the disciples that the righteousness of the disciples must surpass that of the Pharisees or they wouldn’t enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus has not condemned the Pharisees but their behavior. Which of us can truthfully say that our deeds match our words? That’s why we come to the Eucharist in all humility and confess our sins to God and to one another and ask for God’s forgiveness and mercy. Jesus is criticizing behavior and attitude and at the same time telling us to live what is at the heart of religion: love and compassion, justice and faith. When we practice what we preach, we will be the first to benefit. We will also set a good example for others. When I concentrate on inner goodness, I don’t have to shout about it, or even want to. I have begun to find the ‘pearl of great price.’ So I reflect on: • The real tragedy of the Pharisees wasn’t the fact that they had faults but they were blind to their faults. Do I regularly examine myself and how I am living? • Where am I lacking in charity, compassion, a sense of justice and a spirit of service? • How do my deeds match my words of faith? • To whom do I easily offer service and to whom do I begrudge it? How? Why? • Am I still a work in progress or am I OK? Sacred Space 2017 states Passages such as this one in St. Matthew have led to anti-Jewish sentiments, hatred, and persecution. But Jesus’ criticisms are valid for religious leaders anywhere who lose sight of the ideal of service to their people. I pray for our leaders, that they may never be distracted by human honor or forget whom it is they serve. Jesus, You gave the religious leaders of Your day a hard time. But how do you find me? Do I play games to make people think that I am important? How much do I value my public image? Do I misuse my authority? Help me instead to be a humble servant to the needy, just like You.”