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| “Jesus Upbraideth the Scribes and Pharisees” by Matthys Pool and Arnold Houbraken, 1728 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
Commentary on 1 Thes 2:9-13
The Apostle did not confine this Gospel to any one group but delivered it broadly to the community. “’Those well-timed words, whispered in the ear of your wavering friend; the helpful conversation you managed to start at the right moment: the ready professional advice that improves his university work; the discreet indiscretion by which you open up unexpected horizons for his zeal. This all forms part of the 'apostolate of friendship'" (St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, 973).’”[4]
CCC: 1 Thes 2:13 104, 1349
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab
R. (1) You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
Commentary on Ps 139:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab
Psalm 139 is an individual meditation on the omnipresent God who is in all places for all time. The song rejoices that God is always with us, even in the darkest of times.
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Gospel:
Commentary on Mt 23:27-32
This passage concludes St. Matthew’s treatment of the “Seven Woes” with the final two exhortations against the scribes and Pharisees. In the “Sixth Woe” Jesus derides the leadership for false piety. While their acts of worship would make them seem upright and faith-filled, their interior agendas are sinful. Their professed faith is not echoed with actions – especially with charity.
The “Seventh Woe” attacks the pride of these leaders who engage in pompous piety. “In spite of honoring the slain dead by building their tombs and adorning their memorials, and claiming that they would not have joined in their ancestors' crimes if they had lived in their days, the scribes and Pharisees are true children of their ancestors and are defiantly ordered by Jesus to fill up what those ancestors measured out. This order reflects the Jewish notion that there was an allotted measure of suffering that had to be completed before God's final judgment would take place.”[5] Theologically, verses 29-32 provide strong support of Maccabeean Purgatory.
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Reflection:
The Gospel causes us to examine the relationship of our external image with our internal core. In Jesus’ on-going criticism of the scribes and Pharisees he chides them for performing acts of worship for the sake of appearance rather than out of true devotion to the Lord. This false piety is pretended so that others in their community will support their image of righteousness and give them credibility in the assembly of the faithful. It is their base of power and the roots of their authority.
When Jesus attacks this characteristic he becomes a real threat to the religious power structure of the region which, while having its administrative authority usurped by the Roman occupiers, still wields great influence. Because it purports to have significant control over the local populations, it can pressure the official government to act (as we see when Jesus is later arrested).
We are forced to consider this question – Why does Jesus attack those who lead the Jewish people? Why does he not instead go after the Romans who are pagan in their beliefs and without question, oppressive to the people? It is because his kingdom is not of this world. He does not concern himself with the Romans because they claim authority in the physical realm while the scribes and Pharisees claim to have authority over the gates to God’s Kingdom. That kingdom is the one over which Jesus is Lord.
This is an important distinction for us because it helps us set our own priorities. What needs to be most important to us in our lives of faith is that part of us which is destined to live eternally with our Father in Heaven; our soul. We must be constantly safe-guarding that element of our being and working to keep it as free of sin as possible. We are called to hold our faith in God and Christ closely to ourselves building it up through prayer, the Word, and sacramental graces.
Does this mean that we need not concern ourselves with the physical world around us? Absolutely not! Our internal faith, if it is genuine, will be reflected in all of our actions. What we truly believe must color everything we do. What the Lord objected to in the scribes and Pharisees was that their actions that seemed pious while in public worship, were not supported by their actions outside that arena. Our true faith will be expressed in all facets of our lives.
Today our prayer is this; that our interior spiritual strength and faith in Jesus will continue to increase and it will shine out, like the light of a flame that passes through clear glass, bringing the warmth of Christ to the world.
Pax
[1] S.S Commemoratio
[2] The picture is “Jesus Upbraideth the Scribes and Pharisees” by Matthys Pool and Arnold Houbraken, 1728
[4] Letters of St. Paul , The Navarre Bible, Four Courts Press, 2003, pp 513
[5] See NAB note on Matthew 23:29-32
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