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| “St. Mary Crowned” (detail) from the Ghent Altarpiece by Jan van Eyck, 1432 |
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Ezekiel 43:1-7ab
The angel led me to the gate which faces the east,
and there I saw the glory of the God of Israel
coming from the east.
I heard a sound like the roaring of many waters,
and the earth shone with his glory.
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.
I fell prone as the glory of the Lord entered the temple
by way of the gate which faces the east,
but spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court.
And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the Lord.
Then I heard someone speaking to me from the temple,
while the man stood beside me.
The voice said to me:
Son of man, this is where my throne shall be,
this is where I will set the soles of my feet;
here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever.
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Commentary on Ez 43:1-7ab
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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.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the Lord –for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
The Lord himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
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Commentary on Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
CCC: Ps 85:11 214; Ps 85:12 2795
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Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Commentary on Mt 23:1-12
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:
Heavenly Father, we humbly pray that those suffering from the coronavirus be returned quickly to full health by the power of your Son’s healing presence, and those in fear be calmed through the Holy Spirit.
In Christ’s name we pray. – Amen.
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, taekwondo, 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 taekwondo 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 are done 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!”
In this strange year where many of us will not be able to receive the Blessed Sacrament or celebrate as a community in our houses of worship, we must be prepared to receive spiritual communion in prayer:
My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
Pax
[1] The picture is “St. Mary Crowned” (detail) from the Ghent Altarpiece by Jan van Eyck, 1432.
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 21:87, p. 363.
[5] NAB footnote on Matthew 23:8-12.
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