31st
Ordinary Sunday (Year A)
First
Reading: Malachi 1:14b-2:2b,8-10
Second Reading: 1
Thessalonians 2:2b-9,13 Gospel
Reading: Matthew 23:1-12
“THE
GREATEST AMONG YOU MUST BE YOUR SERVANT.”
There
is a story told of a troubled mother who came to Mahatma Gandhi along
with her little daughter, and explained to him that her daughter was
in the bad habit of eating far more sweet food than was good for her.
“Please sir,” she asked, “would you kindly speak to
the girl and persuade her to give up this harmful habit?”
Mahatma Gandhi sat for a while in silence and then said, “Bring
your daughter back in three weeks' time, and then I will speak to
her.” The mother went away as she was told and then came back
with her little daughter after three weeks. This time Mahatma Gandhi
quietly took the little girl aside and in a few simple words pointed
out to her the harmful effects of indulging in sweet food; he then
urged her to abandon the habit, and the girl nodded smilingly.
Thanking Mahatma Gandhi for giving her daughter such good advice, the
mother then said to him in a puzzled voice, “Gandhi-ji I have
yet a small question. Still, I would like to know, why you did not
just say these words to my daughter three weeks ago when I first
brought her to you.” Mahatma Gandhi looked ashamed, and in a
low voice explained in reply, “As a matter of fact, three weeks
ago I myself was still addicted to eating sweet foods.”
It
is rightly said, 'Example
is not the main thing in influencing others - it is the
only
thing.'
People will not attend to what we say, but examine into what we do;
and will say, 'Do
you first obey your own words, and then exhort others?'
In today's Gospel passage, Jesus criticizes the scribe and the
Pharisees for their hypocrisy. Are we also pretenders? Or, do we wear
masks so as to hide our real self from others?
Today
is the 31st
Sunday in Ordinary Time and we are coming very near the end of the
Liturgical Year. We are also coming to the end
of Matthew's Gospel where there is a growing conflict between Jesus
and the religious leaders of his people. But there is no conflict
with the ordinary people who are delighted and amazed at the words
and actions of Jesus. The Scripture Readings of today contain serious
attacks on the religious leadership of the time and they tell
us of God’s rejection of inauthentic religious attitudes.
In
the
First Reading
from the Book of the Prophet Malachi, the Prophet Malachi speaks
God’s word to the Israelite priests after their return from exile.
He criticizes them for the injustice and unfairness of their
decisions concerning others. The
Gospel Reading
from St. Matthew is an even clearer indictment of the Pharisees,
popularly regarded as models of religious holiness. Jesus criticizes
them for their lack of personal coherence, preaching to others what
they themselves would not do. He also condemns their vanity,
searching for public praise and honor instead of offering genuine
worship due only to God. Jesus
then reminds the crowd that it is the Father in Heaven who is to
receive all honor. The mark of the genuine Christian is humble and
sincere service.
In the
Second Reading
from his 1st
Letter to the Thessalonians, St. Paul tells the Christians at
Thessalonica that it was in an attitude of humble
service,
that he and his companions taught the Gospel to them, just like a
mother caring for her children. He
also thanks God that they recognized in his preaching not a human
message, but the word of God
Himself.
INDICTMENT AGAINST THE TEMPLE
PRIESTS:
The
Prophet Malachi is one of the minor prophets
who preached after the return of the Jews from exile in Babylon and
after the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem (517 BC). There
was a sort of reactionary renewal in effect in the Judaism at that
time. The Prophet was terribly disappointed in the behaviors
of the Temple priests in how they cheapened and trivialized the
sacrificial system.
Today's First
Reading is an indictment against the abuse of religious authority for
self-gain. The priests were offering 'polluted'
sacrifices of sick and worthless animals and have failed to honor the
integrity of the Lord’s name. The Prophet Malachi tells them how
they have fallen from the grace of the Lord God and have brought the
religion to disrepute. But their core offense consisted of that they
have turned away from the right path and by their teaching have led
many to do wrong. Indeed, they have broken the covenant with God by
their wicked ways. Moreover, they have been also currying favor with
the rich and powerful and by their irresponsible decisions, they have
made a travesty of justice.
The prophet tells those sinful priests that God offers them an
opportunity to repent and change their ways. If they will not, God
threatens to send the curse upon them that is the opposite of
blessing a worthy priest deserves to receive. In fact, God had
already taken away the blessings of some. He was now
going to make them become the scorn of other nations, abasing them
before all.
“THE GREATEST AMONG YOU MUST BE
YOUR SERVANT.”
In
today's Gospel Reading from St. Matthew we are given the first part
of a very harsh polemic which Jesus delivered against the scribes and
Pharisees. Jesus' language shocks people. Is this the gentle Jesus
who commands us to love our enemies? And what is just as bad, these
passages have been used down the ages as a source of
anti-Semitic attacks which refer to the hypocrisy of Pharisees.
The Scribes and the
Pharisees
were the religious leaders of the time, occupying the seat of Moses
and Jesus never questioned their authority to teach and preach. But
he charged them for their hypocrisy and their pride, for they did not
have integrity of life – their life lacked humility, honesty and
service, and they failed to practice what they preached. Jesus
attacks this pharisaic mentality in three areas:
First. Jesus says
the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees should be followed because
they are simply handing on the truths of their faith. But their
behavior is a different matter altogether. They create a double
standard - they say one thing and do another. Therefore,
he urges his followers to follow their teaching, but
not to follow their example. On the one hand, the Scribes imposed
heavy burdens on people's shoulders but were not willing to lift a
finger to remove or lessen them. In fact, over the years more were
added to these already unbearable rules.
Second. Jesus
makes a strong observation about the way they dressed to make
themselves noticed by others and respected as religious persons. In
other words, Jesus criticizes their vanity and hypocrisy. He
says they wear all holy costumes, headbands and tassels in front of
their eyes containing inscriptions from the Scripture. The reason why
they did is because in the Scripture God says - 'Keep my words
always before your eyes.' So, when the Pharisees moved their heads,
they would see the words of the Scripture, thereby keeping God's
words before their eyes. According to Jesus, these Pharisees went
trick or treating to all important banquets, so that everyone else
could see them. That's all they really wanted. They were just putting
on a show and looking for public acknowledgment and special
privileges. They knew how to hold their arms up in prayer. They said
the proper pious platitudes. They pretended to be
holy, but they were not holy. And there is a clear message there
about status and power.
Third. There is the
question of titles. Jesus says that the scribes and the Pharisees
loved to be greeted in marketplaces and addressed as 'Rabbi.'
This
because they were so enamored of their self-importance and virtues.
The point Jesus wants to make here is
that God alone is the source all truths and He alone as the source of
all life has the right to titles of Lordship or authority. And that's
why he tells his disciple not to be addressed as 'Rabbi,'
or 'Father,' or 'Master.'
Now, it is easy to read
today's Gospel and start
pointing fingers at others but it is important that we see how it
applies in my own life. The Gospel is always addressed to 'ME.'
And today I need to hear what it is saying to me now. Of course, I
can point a criticizing finger at all the officials I know,
political, religious or otherwise, but am I so different? How often
do I stand on ceremony? How touchy am I about how people treat me,
especially if I have some title or responsibility, even if just that
of a parent or schoolteacher? Respect cannot be
demanded but only earned.
Finally, Jesus concludes
by saying, “The greatest among you must be
your servant. For whoever exalts
himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be
exalted.”
In other words, greatness in leadership is shown by being at the
service of others - to be servant-leaders. When
we put ourselves on a pedestal of authority, we are in danger of
being knocked down. When, following the advice of Jesus, we realize
that real greatness is in offering ourselves in service as a
brother/sister to brothers/sisters, then we are likely to meet
support, understanding and cooperation in bringing people closer to
God. For such people, the loneliness at the top will never be a
problem.
AN EXAMPLE OF HUMBLE SERVICE:
In
the Second Reading from his 1st Letter to the Thessalonians, St. Paul
speaks of himself and his companions acting with genuine kindness
with all possible care and protection of the Thessalonians like a
nursing mother. Without boasting they shared the Good News and their
very selves with them. They evangelized by word and deed - by their
life and teaching. They were upright and without deception. They were
men of integrity and sterling qualities. Moreover, St. Paul made a
very special point of not seeking or accepting financial assistance
from his converts as he in no way wanted to be a burden on anyone or
the community. The demands that he and his companions made upon the
Thessalonians were spiritual demands. Paul worked with them to guide
them for their own personal spiritual benefit and growth. Really he
did not spare his pains; he gave himself to their service without
reservation. But he never attributed to himself the success of his
preaching. Finally, St. Paul thanks the Lord for the faith response
of the Thessalonians and is certain that indeed God works in those
who believe.
This
is what service means. As long as we have our health and energy, each
of us should do our best not to be a burden on others. When we truly
try hard to offer what we have for the well-being of others we are
not likely to be such a burden. It is said, 'when everyone is giving
then everyone is receiving'. It is a beautiful way to live but it is
not the way of our rat-race, competitive society which thinks only of
'How
much can I get?'
CONCLUSION:
Although
Jesus' criticisms are directed explicitly against the popular
Pharisees as religious teachers and apparent models of holiness, it
is clear from the text that Jesus wants to teach everyone authentic
religious devotion. Today, we all are called for integrity and
honesty, where there is no pulling of rank, no demand for respect or
privilege or a hearing, no double standards but a deep sense of
equality and mutual respect, a desire to serve, to share what we have
and are for the benefit of all.
Every
Christian therefore, despite the temptations to Pharisee-ism in all
of us, is to seek to render selfless service rather than to obtain
titles, recognition or power. Our Christian love demands of us to
manifest God’s love in our life. This sounds simple but, in
practice, it is something we seldom seem to do. Let us remember Jesus
saying, “The
greatest among you must be your servant. The
best soil for the growth of Christian virtue is humble service and
detachment - detachment from not only things, but from praise and
prestige. In the humble Christ - poor, shunned and oppressed - is
where the growth of virtue always finds a home. And this is the Good
News of today.
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