Justice, Mercy and Faith

Today’s Gospel Text: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity. 26 You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean. Matt 23:23-26

Reflection: Some matters are more important than the others.

This does not mean that the important matters are solely so important that they make the less important matters defunct. 

The Pharisees, on the other hand, were so notorious in the practice of the less important virtues, which may have been easy to practice and even observed by many that they failed in the practice of the more important virtue.

For this they face a very stringent rebuke by Jesus, who not only lay emphasis to the practicing of the lesser demands of the law but also laid a greater emphasis on the more important elements of the law.

Therefore according to Jesus, the more important matters are first and while practicing it the less important matter cannot be ignored. 

The comparison that Jesus draws of such a negative and careless attitude towards the law of God is unparalleled: “You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!” (vs. 24) 

The danger of walking in the ways of the Pharisees exists even in our day and in ever newer ways.

The modern day Pharisees can be laying a great emphasis on the practice of the virtue of justice, mercy and faithfulness, which sometimes translates into modern day obedience to authorities, but these themselves may lack in the very practice of it.

The emphasis of Jesus is clear; what he expects of the Pharisees and all his followers is the practice of this virtue in their lives and not to fight or labor to establish a society of justice, mercy and faith based on human agenda.

And how is this justice, mercy and faithfulness lived?

The primary way in which one lives the value of justice is by giving the obeisance to God, as revealed by Jesus.  Not to acknowledge God, as revealed by Jesus, as one’s Father is the greatest injustice, far greater than any oppression and marginalization of a fellow human being.

Like the Pharisees who were instrumental in crucifying Jesus we too could be unjustly crucifying Christ once again even though we claim to be followers of him.

Nor can we show mercy to others if we do not show (give) our brothers and sisters, in decay, the path of life through faith.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to be your instrument of justice, mercy and faith.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Great Commandment

Today’s Gospel Text:  But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sad'ducees, they came together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets." Matt 22:34-40

Reflection: What do you call this gathering together of the Pharisees as soon as Jesus silenced the Sadducees?

Isn't it this coming together of people against an injustice, apparently, perpetuated by Jesus a great sign of unity and love among these and that too for a cause?

Yes, it can be possible that Jesus was an unjust man, a false teacher according to these highly learned intellectuals, of whom one was a lawyer: which means a man well versed in the scriptures and the law of Moses.

And who will normally challenge known intellectuals and more so if they are in power?

In a way they were the democratic majority against the individual minority of the sacred Word of God; Jesus Christ.  

May be they looked at Jesus as that trickster who deceives the people and indeed they seem to have that special knowledge of the truth but they were not clear about its application.

What a question to ask? Only the intellectual and wise could answer the question?

It was like asking a spiritual question in a science class: what gives life to the body and if you answer it by your knowledge of science, because you are in a science class, you would fail the test, because the answer is never directly in the plane of ordinary thinking.

Similarly, the answer to the lawyers question was never directly in the Ten Commandments which God had given to the Israelites.

Though the Pharisees knew the answer or at least had an inkling of it, yet they did not seem to measure up to it.

This mystery of history keeps repeating itself and we could likewise have modern day Pharisees too, who could be well versed with doctorates and licentiates but may never measure up to the truth of the Gospel. 

Let’s be practical and seek to live out the commandment and not just know the commandment. 

Also let us never be deceived by those who would not like to know the commandment or faith and want to be purely practical and want to live the faith of Christ without knowing it.

Prayer:  Lord, even your foolishness far surpasses human wisdom; teach us to be wise in your ways. (cfr. 1 Cor. 1:25) 

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Hypocrisy

Today’s Gospel Text: In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they trod upon one another, he began to say to his disciples first, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. 4 "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. .... Luke 12:1-7

Reflection: A very unusual action of Jesus; a crowd around him and yet he turns to his disciples, as if to communicate a very important message:

"Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

A leaven is a very important element in making bread that sustains, it is no ordinary dead material but has a special life in it which is hidden in the dough, it begins to work out an increase and softness to the dough.

A leaven is the most beautiful example of what hypocrisy is all about. It is hidden in the most wonderful and select dough that will become bread. It works accordingly to form great  delicious breads.

Likewise it works beneath the most beautiful faces of humans that ultimately is corrupt from within.

The end does not justify the means in human relationships. If the corruption of hypocrisy brings about a beautiful outcome, it is still not acceptable to God.

So too humans may not mind the fruit of corruption, which is a soft wonderful bread. Such breads are even relished by humans and are in great demand.

But what God seeks is the unleavened, pure bread such as the one which his Son Jesus became in order to free humanity from such corruption of hypocrisy and sin.

Likewise he admonishes every disciple of his to resist the corruption of hypocrisy. Even if humans by the majority would like them or even want them, they are to resist the temptation. 

Prayer: Lord it can never be easy to recognize ones hypocrisy, help me by your Holy Spirit and reveal the hidden hypocrisy of my heart, so that I may constantly be renewed.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us