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| “St. Bernard” (detail) by Georg Andreas Wasshuber, 1700s |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Ezekiel 43:1-7ab
Commentary on Ez 43:1-7ab
This is the climax of Ezekiel’s vision. He sees the restoration of the temple and the return of God. He speaks from a period of exile in Babylon and envisions a time when the temple will be rebuilt and God’s presence with his people will be eternal. The prophet’s statement in v. 3: “The vision was like that which I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and like that which I had seen by the river Chebar,” is not like the one at the river Chebar (Ezekiel 1:1, 8-11). Rather it is more like the vision in Ezekiel 9.[4] That which was destroyed will be rebuilt, God’s salvation will be offered to the faithful who were defeated and are without hope.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
R. (see 10b) The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Commentary on Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
Psalm 85 is a communal lament that focuses on the woes of the nation. These strophes reflect the joy of salvation at the restoration of the land following the destruction of the temple and the Diaspora. Those faithful to God see the reward: a land restored, justice returned, and the salvation of God.
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Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12
Commentary on Mt 23:1-12
This passage is the introduction to the invective against the Scribes and Pharisees. It sets the stage for the “Seven Woes” which follow in the chapter. St. Matthew uses Jesus' teaching about the leaders of the Jewish faith as counter-examples of what the leaders of the Christian faith must be like. The scribes and Pharisees lead from the authority given by the Temple. According to the Gospel, they did not practice what they taught and performed their worship for others to see rather than out of true faith and worship of God.
St. Matthew continues the theme of authentic worship (that is, worship that changes the actions of the faithful). The author gives us Jesus' discourse that upholds the Law of Moses and, at the same time, chastises those who misuse it. He describes in detail how the scribes burden the people with ritual, but do not practice that same law. The complaint is twofold: first is the rigor with which the law is interpreted (“They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders”), and second is the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees: “All their works are performed to be seen” (see also Matthew 6:1-8).
The selection promotes an interpretation of Christian leadership which is one of humility and compassion rather than one of prideful superiority. “These verses, warning against the use of various titles, are addressed to the disciples alone. While only the title 'Rabbi' has been said to be used in addressing the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:7), the implication is that Father and 'Master' also were. The prohibition of these titles to the disciples suggests that their use was present in Matthew's church. The Matthean Jesus forbids not only the titles but the spirit of superiority and pride that is shown by their acceptance. Whoever exalts . . . will be exalted: cf Luke 14:11.” [5]
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Reflection:
St. Matthew’s Gospel continues to support the idea that for the Christian, one’s faith must be supported by actions that are in accordance with that belief, in order for salvation (or justification) to be assured. In this Gospel, we see a clearer definition about what those actions must be.
Clearly, Jesus does not approve of the behavior of the Jewish leadership: the Scribes and the Pharisees, formal and informal leaders of the faith community. They have, as a group, fallen into two traps. The first of these we will liken to Tai Chi. Most people think of Tai Chi as a form of exercise that relaxes joints and strengthens muscles. That’s what it is, but it came from the martial arts. Kung Fu was where it got its origins. Anyone who has studied martial arts like Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, or Karate has had to learn what are called “forms.” Forms are set actions done in a specific order that help the student refine either attack or defensive techniques. They are done vigorously, and require great coordination, timing, and concentration. In Tae Kwon Do for instance, there are nine forms to be learned that lead up to the student receiving a black belt (meaning they have mastered the basics – there are a number of degrees above that), and then additional forms to be created or learned as a person continues toward mastery. Tai Chi took the concept of forms and slowed them down to a point where they no longer represent or train for combat, but for the sake of the form itself, in other words, it’s all for show, its original purpose obscured or forgotten.
Does that mean that Tai Chi has no benefits? Not at all, benefit can still be derived from it, but if one is attacked, Tai Chi training is not likely to help one defend oneself. The defensive reflexes are not trained. In the same way, the leaders of the temple became so focused on the rigorous “letter of the law” they forgot what the law as intended to accomplish: behaviors that would lead to God’s Kingdom on earth.
The second trap the Scribes and Pharisees fell into was an all-too-human one. They were given positions of authority, and because their own focus was on the letter of the law, and they thought they had gotten so good at it, they assumed that they should be honored for their attentiveness to the 613 commandments that made up Mosaic Law. They saw their attention to detail as meriting them special attention and places of honor. In a sense they became ornamental without real purpose.
The lessons we derive from this scripture are compelling. First and foremost, we must be constantly alert so that we do not become arrogant in our faith. We must never focus so intensely on the precepts of the faith that we lose sight of their practical application in the world around us. The first time that happens we may find ourselves saying something like: “But St. Peter, I should not have to spend that much time in Purgatory, I prayed the rosary every day!”
Pax
[1] The picture is “St. Bernard” (detail) by Georg Andreas Wasshuber, 1700s
[4] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 21:87, pp. 363
[5] See NAB footnote on Matthew 23:8-12
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