Practice what you preach. This is the warning from our readings this
week. While pointed specifically at the religious leaders of the
community, these warnings also serve as a reminder for us, that we too
much not become complacent in our duties to the Lord.
Malachi 1:14b-1:2b, 8-10
Psalm 131:1, 2, 3
1 Thessalonians 2:7b-9, 13
Matthew 23:1-12
We open with a reading from the prophet Malachi, who’s career began a few generations after the return from Babylon. Malachi sees a priesthood that has lost its way, and through that, caused the people to falter. The prophet condemns them and reminds them that is God who created us and with whom we have our covenant.
Our Psalm helps those priests (and all of us) to focus back on what’s important as we sing, “In you, Lord, I have found my peace.” When we turn to the Lord in humility, we find peace and hope.
Our second reading picks up on that theme of a caring mother found in our Psalm as we continue our study of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. Here Paul reminds the people of his actions and that of the other disciples who came to them. They not only delivered the Word of God, but they lived it. They did their share of the work so that they might not be a burden on the community. They didn’t expect any special treatment. Once again Paul is using this as an example of behavior the people are meant to emulate.
Our Gospel from Matthew continues a little ways from where we left off last week. Remember where we’ve been… Jesus has entered Jerusalem and has been confronted by the chief priests, the elders, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees. Now having bested all of them, he now turns to the crowds and his disciples to openly renounces their hypocrisy. As we have previously discussed, Jesus has nothing left to lose… he knows these are his final days. But his brazen attacks on these religious leaders is both a condemnation and a warning… that you must practice what you preach least you lose your favor with God.
It’s also helpful to remember that the phylacteries (Ancient Greek for the Hebrew tefillin) Jesus refers to are a set of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah, which are worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers. These are those little boxes they wear on their foreheads. The tassels are also part of the regalia of their office, the length of which believed to represent their position within the rank of the Pharisees.
Final Thoughts:
If there’s anything we’ve learned from Jesus and the prophets, it’s that “status” has no privileges in the Kingdom of God. In fact, any leadership position carries with it added responsibilities... to be an example for others to emulate… to practice what they preach. Above all, we Christians need to recognize that we all serve one master: Christ.
As we celebrate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle, it’s easy to compare what’s going on in our readings this week with what was going on in the Church during Luther’s time. It brings to mind the saying, “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” In fact, much of the hypocrisy of Church leaders of that day is one of the primary catalysts of the Reformation. If there’s anything we have learned as Church, from the Reformation, through the Counter-Reformation, and through the Second Vatican Council, is that we must, in all our humility, put Christ first.
Malachi 1:14b-1:2b, 8-10
Psalm 131:1, 2, 3
1 Thessalonians 2:7b-9, 13
Matthew 23:1-12
We open with a reading from the prophet Malachi, who’s career began a few generations after the return from Babylon. Malachi sees a priesthood that has lost its way, and through that, caused the people to falter. The prophet condemns them and reminds them that is God who created us and with whom we have our covenant.
Our Psalm helps those priests (and all of us) to focus back on what’s important as we sing, “In you, Lord, I have found my peace.” When we turn to the Lord in humility, we find peace and hope.
Our second reading picks up on that theme of a caring mother found in our Psalm as we continue our study of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. Here Paul reminds the people of his actions and that of the other disciples who came to them. They not only delivered the Word of God, but they lived it. They did their share of the work so that they might not be a burden on the community. They didn’t expect any special treatment. Once again Paul is using this as an example of behavior the people are meant to emulate.
Our Gospel from Matthew continues a little ways from where we left off last week. Remember where we’ve been… Jesus has entered Jerusalem and has been confronted by the chief priests, the elders, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees. Now having bested all of them, he now turns to the crowds and his disciples to openly renounces their hypocrisy. As we have previously discussed, Jesus has nothing left to lose… he knows these are his final days. But his brazen attacks on these religious leaders is both a condemnation and a warning… that you must practice what you preach least you lose your favor with God.
It’s also helpful to remember that the phylacteries (Ancient Greek for the Hebrew tefillin) Jesus refers to are a set of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah, which are worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers. These are those little boxes they wear on their foreheads. The tassels are also part of the regalia of their office, the length of which believed to represent their position within the rank of the Pharisees.
Final Thoughts:
If there’s anything we’ve learned from Jesus and the prophets, it’s that “status” has no privileges in the Kingdom of God. In fact, any leadership position carries with it added responsibilities... to be an example for others to emulate… to practice what they preach. Above all, we Christians need to recognize that we all serve one master: Christ.
As we celebrate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle, it’s easy to compare what’s going on in our readings this week with what was going on in the Church during Luther’s time. It brings to mind the saying, “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” In fact, much of the hypocrisy of Church leaders of that day is one of the primary catalysts of the Reformation. If there’s anything we have learned as Church, from the Reformation, through the Counter-Reformation, and through the Second Vatican Council, is that we must, in all our humility, put Christ first.
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