The worst thing we can be are of two minds and living lives of duality. We want people to honour and respect us, yet we do not want them to know this is in our heart. And so, we perform acts of humility even saying things like “Never will I let my left hand know what my right is doing.” Yet it is always about what I have done, my own accomplishments ending it with “To God be the glory.” In front of fellow leaders, we are nice and respectful but behind them we say unkind things about them and their leadership. We often talk down to others whom we think are beneath us and our intellect; but behave as though we are fully justified by our actions.
Whom are we kidding? Never mind the Lord our God who knows and sees everything, but do we think our hypocrisy can be hidden from our brethren? Do we think no one will ever know? Even if we are just to the orphan or plead for the widow on occasion, how much good can come from us living double lives? For unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
Come Lord Jesus! I repent! Transfigure me, cleanse me from within, so that I shall be white as snow. Amen
Saints Perpetua and Felicity pray for us…
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First reading
Isaiah 1:10,16-20
Cease to do evil; learn to do good
Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom;
listen to the command of our God,
you people of Gomorrah.
‘Wash, make yourselves clean.
Take your wrong-doing out of my sight.
Cease to do evil.
Learn to do good,
search for justice,
help the oppressed,
be just to the orphan,
plead for the widow.
‘Come now, let us talk this over,
says the Lord.
Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
‘If you are willing to obey,
you shall eat the good things of the earth.
But if you persist in rebellion,
the sword shall eat you instead.’
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Gospel
Matthew 23:1-12
They do not practise what they preach
Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.
‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’
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