Wednesday
28th August 2019. Read 1Thes. 2:9-13, Ps.139 & Mat. 23:27-32
_“Woe to
you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” *(Matthew 23:27)*_
One of the
most difficult thing to do is to try to correct a person senior to you or one whose
primary job is that of correcting others. It is a task that requires true
courage and even the willingness to risk one’s own life. For his harsh
reproaches of the Scribes and Pharisees, Jesus earned himself so much hatred
that eventually culminated in his arrest, false accusation, hasty trial and
crucifixion on the Cross of Calvary.
Jesus would
have tried to be quiet (or even diplomatic) but he said the truth just as it is.
This is one important lesson we must learn from Jesus who told us “Do not fear
those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can
destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28).
When it
comes to correcting our religious leaders, there is a tendency for us to quote
passages such as “Touch not my anointed ones, and do my prophet no harm.” (1
Chronicles 16:22 & Psalm 105:15). In truth, the greatest harm we can do to
God’s anointed ones and prophets is our failure to tell them the truth or to
pretend before them; that is, to praise them in their presence only to go
behind them and start complaining. In our attempt not to touch them, we inflict
great blows by not saying the truth just as it is. Anyone who cannot tell you
the truth is not your friend.
In today’s
Gospel passage, Jesus speaking in love told the Scribes and Pharisees to their
face how they cared more about their public image while their hearts were full
of iniquity. Jesus likened them to whitewashed tombs which were beautiful to
look at from the outside but were full of dead men’s bones inside. It was
another way of saying, people get attracted to the Scribes and Pharisees hoping
they would lead them to God but the closer they get, the farther away they go
from God. Jesus had to warn the people: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on
Moses’ seat; so practise and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they
do; for they preach, but do not practice.” (Matthew 23:2-3).
Jesus also
condemned the fact that the Scribes and Pharisees had a practice of adorning
the tombs of the prophets who were persecuted for their righteous deeds saying
if they were alive years before, they would not partake of such, meanwhile,
they were so filled with hatred for Jesus and would eventually see to his
death. This means that they were not better than their ancestors who killed the
prophets. The question is: “How do I react when someone tells me the truth?”
In today’s
first reading, St. Paul writing to the Thessalonians stated: “For you remember
our labour and toil, brethren; we worked night and day, that we might not
burden any of you, while we preached to you the gospel of God. You are
witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behaviour
to you believers.” (1 Thessalonians 2:9-10). There is a difference between
giving with a cheerful heart and giving with a fearful heart. If we give only
out of fear, then such giving has become a burden and as St. Paul says, the
minister must work hard to avoid becoming a burden to the people.
Above all,
as leaders in our various walks of life, we must be holy, righteous and blameless
in our behaviour. This entails avoiding a secret life rather than trying to put
up a show. For there is “nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or
hidden that will not be known.” (Luke 12:2).
Finally,
today we remember the great African Bishop and Doctor of the Church, one from
who was influential in the development of Christianity. Saint Augustine was
born in Numidia. His family were ethnic North Africans (the Berbers). His
father was a pagan, but his mother was a devout Christian. His mother had a
strong influence on the young Augustine and did her best to instruct him but
she kept praying to God for his conversion. While following the way of the
world, Augustine developed an interest in philosophy and became an expert in
Latin and rhetoric.
In 386, at
the age of 31, he made a formal conversion to Christianity. Augustine was
baptized with his son by Bishop Ambrose on April 388. His mother died shortly
after his event. Afterwards, they returned home to Africa, where his son Adeodatus
died shortly after. Augustine gave away his wealth to the poor and converted
his house into a monastic foundation for himself and a group of like-minded
Christians. In 391, he became the Bishop of Hippo and for the next 39 years
became an influential preacher, often speaking against his former religion of
Manichaeism.
In the
last half of his life, Augustine was noted for his piety – shunning his former
hedonistic lifestyle and living a life of simplicity and devotion. He was
canonized in 1298 by Pope Boniface VIII.
Let us
pray: Lord Jesus, give us the grace to practice what we preach. Amen.
Be Happy.
Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Wednesday of
the 21st week in Ordinary Time. Memorial of St. Augustine. Bible Study: 1Thes.
2:9-13, Ps.139 & Mat. 23:27-32).
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