Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
Lectionary: 231
Lectionary: 231
Hear the word of
the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!
Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.
Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!
Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.
Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!
Responsorial PsalmPS 50:8-9, 16BC-17, 21
AND 23
R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of
God.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
Verse Before The GospelEZ 18:31
Cast away from you
all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD,
and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
GospelMT 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.”
“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.”
Meditation: Whoever humbles oneself will be exalted
Who doesn't desire the praise and respect of
others? We want others to see us at our best with all of our strengths and
achievements - rather than at our worst with all of our faults and shortcomings.
God sees us as we truly are - sinners and beggars always in need of his mercy,
help, and guidance.
The prophet Isaiah warned both the rulers and
the people of Sodom and Gomorrah to humbly listen and submit to God's teaching
so they could learn to do good and to cease from evil (Isaiah
110,17). Jesus warned the scribes and Pharisees, the teachers and rulers of
Israel, to teach and serve their people with humility and sincerity rather than
with pride and self-promotion. They went to great lengths to draw attention to
their religious status and practices. In a way they wanted to be good models of
observant Jews. "See how well we observe all the ritual rules and
regulations of our religion!" In their misguided zeal for religion they
sought recognition and honor for themselves rather than for God. They made the
practice of their faith a burden rather than a joy for the people they were
supposed to serve.
True respect for God inclines us to humble
ourselves and to submit to his wisdom and guidance. We cannot be taught by God
unless we first learn to listen to his word and then obey his instruction.
One Father and Teacher
Was Jesus against calling anyone a rabbi, the Jewish title for a teacher of God's word (Matthew 23:7-8), or a father? The law of Moses in Scripture specifically instructed all fathers to be teachers and instructors for their children to help them understand and obey God's instructions (Deuteronomy 6:7)? Why did Jesus rebuke the scribes and Pharisees, the religious authorities of the Jewish people, in the presence of his disciples? Jesus wanted to warn both his own disciples and the religious leaders about the temptation to seek honors and titles that draw attention to ourselves in place of God and his word. Pride tempts us to put ourselves first above others.
Was Jesus against calling anyone a rabbi, the Jewish title for a teacher of God's word (Matthew 23:7-8), or a father? The law of Moses in Scripture specifically instructed all fathers to be teachers and instructors for their children to help them understand and obey God's instructions (Deuteronomy 6:7)? Why did Jesus rebuke the scribes and Pharisees, the religious authorities of the Jewish people, in the presence of his disciples? Jesus wanted to warn both his own disciples and the religious leaders about the temptation to seek honors and titles that draw attention to ourselves in place of God and his word. Pride tempts us to put ourselves first above others.
The Scriptures give ample warning about the
danger of self-seeking pride: Pride goes before destruction, and a
haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). God opposes the
proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; Proverbs 3:24).
Origen (185-254 AD), an early Christian teacher
and bible scholar, reminds those who teach and lead to remember that they are
first and foremost "disciples" and "servants" who sit at
the feet of their Master and Teacher the Lord Jesus Christ:
"You have one teacher,
and you are all brothers to each other...Whoever ministers with the divine word
does not put himself forward to be called teacher, for he knows
that when he performs well it is Christ who is within him. He should only call
himself servant according to the command of Christ, saying, Whoever
is greater among you, let him be the servant of all."
True
humility
Respect for God and for his ways inclines us to humility and to simplicity of heart - the willing readiness to seek the one true good who is God himself. What is the nature of true humility and why should we embrace it as essential for our lives? We can easily mistake humility as something demeaning or harmful to our sense of well-being and feeling good about ourselves. True humility is not feeling bad about yourself, or having a low opinion of yourself, or thinking of yourself as inferior to all others. True humility frees us from preoccupation with ourselves, whereas a low self-opinion tends to focus our attention on ourselves. Humility is truth in self-understanding and truth in action. Viewing ourselves honestly, with sober judgment, means seeing ourselves the way God sees us (Psalm 139:1-4).
Respect for God and for his ways inclines us to humility and to simplicity of heart - the willing readiness to seek the one true good who is God himself. What is the nature of true humility and why should we embrace it as essential for our lives? We can easily mistake humility as something demeaning or harmful to our sense of well-being and feeling good about ourselves. True humility is not feeling bad about yourself, or having a low opinion of yourself, or thinking of yourself as inferior to all others. True humility frees us from preoccupation with ourselves, whereas a low self-opinion tends to focus our attention on ourselves. Humility is truth in self-understanding and truth in action. Viewing ourselves honestly, with sober judgment, means seeing ourselves the way God sees us (Psalm 139:1-4).
A humble person makes a realistic assessment of
oneself without illusion or pretense to be something one is not. A truly humble
person regards oneself neither smaller nor larger than one truly is. True
humility frees us to be ourselves as God regards us and to avoid falling into
despair and pride. A humble person does not want to wear a mask or put on a
facade in order to look good to others. Such a person is not swayed by
accidentals, such as fame, reputation, success, or failure. Do you know the joy
of Christ-like humility and simplicity of heart?
Humility is the queen or foundation of all the
other virtues because it enables us to see and judge correctly, the way God
sees. Humility helps us to be teachable so we can acquire true knowledge,
wisdom, and an honest view of reality. It directs our energy, zeal, and will to
give ourselves to something greater than ourselves. Humility frees us to love
and serve others willingly and selflessly, for their own sake, rather than for
our own. Paul the Apostle gives us the greatest example and model of humility
in the person of Jesus Christ, who emptied himself, taking the form of
a servant, and... who humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even
death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8). Do you want to be a servant as
Jesus loved and served others? The Lord Jesus gives us his heart - the heart of
a servant who seeks the good of others and puts their interests first in his
care and concern for them.
"Lord Jesus, you became a servant for my
sake to set me free from the tyranny of selfish pride and self-concern. Teach
me to be humble as you are humble and to love others generously with selfless
service and kindness."
 Actions Speak Louder Than Words |
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March 3, 2015. Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
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Matthew 23: 1-12
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes
and the Pharisees sit on Moses´ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you
and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they
teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders
of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They
do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries
broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at
banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect
in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to
be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call
no one your father on earth, for you have one Father-- the one in heaven. Nor
are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.
The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be
humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Introductory Prayer: Lord, though I cannot see you with my eyes,
I believe you are present to me now, in my innermost being, and that you know
me far better than I know myself. I also know that you love me much more than
I love my own self. Thank you for loving and watching over me, though I don’t
deserve your love. In return, I offer you my sorrow for my sins and my hopes
to love you more each day.
Petition: Lord, help me to be humble like you.
1. Disinterested Charity: How do we know that we
are truly working for God? When we are willing to work for him for nothing.
God calls some missionaries to work with the poor, who can repay their
benefactors with nothing more than smiles and gratitude. Other missionaries
work with the humanly and spiritually poor, who neither recognize their
neediness nor value the work of Christian evangelization. Parents put in long,
hidden hours of service to sustain their families, often without receiving a
simple “thank you.” Christ shunned human recognition not just with his words:
when the people wanted to make him king, he hurried off to proclaim the Good
News somewhere else. Do I value my charity towards others more than I value
any position of authority? Do I seek the praise of others for the good deeds
I do?
2. Little Misunderstandings: Christian authority comes
not from titles or positions, but from our faithful adherence to Christ’s
commandment of charity and service. We should welcome misunderstanding in the
face of our doing good. It means that God is inviting us to attain a higher
level in our charity and Christian leadership. With his fidelity, Christ
shows us that we have every reason to believe in the fulfillment of God’s
promise. The book of Wisdom shows us that misunderstanding is part of God’s
plan: “He calls blest the destiny of the just and boasts that God is his
Father. Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will
happen to him. For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and
deliver him from the hand of his foes. With revilement and torture let us put
him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God
will take care of him” (Wisdom 2: 16-20).
3. The Cross is Our Claim to Glory: “And when I am lifted up
from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself” (John 12:32). Christ did not
lift himself up for others to notice; he refused to exalt himself. He refused
the places of honor at banquets (he sat with the tax collectors), seats of
honor in synagogues (they threw him out), and special greetings in
marketplaces (“Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone” (Mark
10:18)). His silence infuriated Pilate: “Do you not speak to me? Do you not
know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?” (John
19:10). They asked Christ to exalt himself by coming down from the cross, and
he refused. This is the real test of our trust and love: trusting that God
really cares for us when he allows us to be crucified for being faithful, and
loving that crucifixion by embracing it willingly for the good of souls.
Conversation with Christ: Dear Jesus, I know I will
never be able to be as humble as you, but I want to desire and work for the
greatest degree of humility possible for me. I want to leave behind the pride
that has damaged so many areas of my life. I want to have your example always
fresh in my mind so that I can keep advancing—not in order to glory in my own
perfection, but in order to please you and do your will.
Resolution: I will think of the relationship in my life where my pride is
most destructive. I will take concrete steps to deal with that person more
positively and humbly.
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TUESDAY, MARCH 3, MATTHEW 23:1-12
Lenten Weekday
(Isaiah 1:10, 16-20; Psalm 50)
Lenten Weekday
(Isaiah 1:10, 16-20; Psalm 50)
KEY VERSE: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (v 12).
TO KNOW: Jesus denounced the hypocritical behavior of the scribes and Pharisees. He acknowledged that their teaching authority rested on the "chair of Moses" (the "chair of Peter" is a similar term for Church authority), but he warned his disciples not to follow the example of those religious leaders. The Pharisees enjoyed their titles of honor, and they liked to call attention to their phylacteries (Hebrew: tefillin) as evidence of their piety. These small leather boxes contained essential passages of the Torah, and were worn on the forehead and on the left arm (closest to the heart) during prayer. The tassels sewn on the corners of their garments (Hebrew: tzi-tzit) were a symbolic reminder to keep the Law of Moses. While the religious leaders demanded obedience to the minute details of the law, their deeds did not always correspond to their words. In contrast, Jesus was a humble servant and faithful teacher of the law of God's love and mercy.
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, teach me to imitate your humility as I strive to serve your people.
TO SERVE: Are my religious practices motivated by piety or a desire for admiration?
Optional Memorial of Katharine Drexel
Katharine Drexel was taught from an early age to use her wealth for the benefit of others. Interested in the condition of Native Americans, she asked Pope Leo XIII to send more missionaries to Wyoming. The pope replied, "Why don't you become a missionary?" Katharine visited the Dakotas, met the Sioux chief, and spent millions of the family fortunes to aid Indian missions. She entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy and founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament now known simply as the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. By 1942 she had a system of Catholic schools for African Americans in 13 states, 40 mission centers, 23 rural schools, 50 Indian missions, and Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, the first United States university for blacks. Following a heart attack, she spent her last twenty years in prayer and meditation. The Shrine of Saint Katharine is located at at the motherhouse of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Pennsylvania, USA.
Katharine Drexel was taught from an early age to use her wealth for the benefit of others. Interested in the condition of Native Americans, she asked Pope Leo XIII to send more missionaries to Wyoming. The pope replied, "Why don't you become a missionary?" Katharine visited the Dakotas, met the Sioux chief, and spent millions of the family fortunes to aid Indian missions. She entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy and founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament now known simply as the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. By 1942 she had a system of Catholic schools for African Americans in 13 states, 40 mission centers, 23 rural schools, 50 Indian missions, and Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, the first United States university for blacks. Following a heart attack, she spent her last twenty years in prayer and meditation. The Shrine of Saint Katharine is located at at the motherhouse of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Pennsylvania, USA.
Tuesday 3 March 2015
Isaiah 1:10, 16-20. To
the upright I will show the saving power of God—Ps 49(50):8-9, 16-17, 21, 23.
Matthew 23:1-12.
Readings
‘Those who exalt
themselves will be humbled.’
Jesus has harsh words
for some of the Pharisees and scribes with regard to their hypocrisy. Recent
revelations in some areas of the church have highlighted problems associated
with clericalism and the abuse of authority. Excessive focus on the externals
of religion can easily cut us off from the church’s spiritual life.
The need to cling to
status and power is symptomatic of a disconnection between what is preached and
what is practised. None of us is immune from such tendencies; we all have a
Pharisee lurking within, ready to lay burdens on our own shoulders and those of
others. Let us never lose sight of Christ who is the lifter of all burdens.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Free Yourself
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Our task during these forty days is to examine our lives in light
of God’s Word and see where we’ve allowed darkness to creep in, where we’ve
taken the bait of the diabolical fisher of men. It’s time to use the sword of
the Spirit to cut through his web of deception, to free ourselves from the net
that holds us as prey.
March
3
St. Katharine Drexel
(1858-1955)
St. Katharine Drexel
(1858-1955)
If your father is an international banker and you ride in a
private railroad car, you are not likely to be drawn into a life of voluntary
poverty. But if your mother opens your home to the poor three days each week
and your father spends half an hour each evening in prayer, it is not
impossible that you will devote your life to the poor and give away millions of
dollars. Katharine Drexel did that.
She was
born in Philadelphia in 1858. She had an excellent education and traveled
widely. As a rich girl, she had a grand debut into society. But when she nursed
her stepmother through a three-year terminal illness, she saw that all the
Drexel money could not buy safety from pain or death, and her life took a
profound turn.
She had
always been interested in the plight of the Indians, having been appalled by
what she read in Helen Hunt Jackson’s A Century of Dishonor.
While on a European tour, she met Pope Leo XIII and asked him to send more
missionaries to Wyoming for her friend Bishop James O’Connor. The pope replied,
“Why don’t you become a missionary?” His answer shocked her into considering
new possibilities.
Back
home, Katharine visited the Dakotas, met the Sioux leader Red Cloud and
began her systematic aid to Indian missions.
She could
easily have married. But after much discussion with Bishop O’Connor, she wrote
in 1889, “The feast of St. Joseph brought me the grace to give the remainder of
my life to the Indians and the Colored.” Newspaper headlines screamed “Gives Up
Seven Million!”
After
three and a half years of training, she and her first band of nuns (Sisters of
the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored) opened a boarding school in
Santa Fe. A string of foundations followed. By 1942 she had a system of black
Catholic schools in 13 states, plus 40 mission centers and 23 rural schools.
Segregationists harassed her work, even burning a school in Pennsylvania. In
all, she established 50 missions for Indians in 16 states.
Two
saints met when Katharine was advised by Mother Cabrini about the
“politics” of getting her Order’s Rule approved in Rome. Her crowning
achievement was the founding of Xavier University in New Orleans, the first
Catholic university in the United States for African Americans.
At 77,
she suffered a heart attack and was forced to retire. Apparently her life was
over. But now came almost 20 years of quiet, intense prayer from a small room
overlooking the sanctuary. Small notebooks and slips of paper record her
various prayers, ceaseless aspirations and meditation. She died at 96 and was
canonized in 2000.
Comment:
Saints have always said the same thing: Pray, be humble, accept the cross, love and forgive. But it is good to hear these things in the American idiom from one who, for instance, had her ears pierced as a teenager, who resolved to have “no cake, no preserves,” who wore a watch, was interviewed by the press, traveled by train and could concern herself with the proper size of pipe for a new mission. These are obvious reminders that holiness can be lived in today’s culture as well as in that of Jerusalem or Rome.
Saints have always said the same thing: Pray, be humble, accept the cross, love and forgive. But it is good to hear these things in the American idiom from one who, for instance, had her ears pierced as a teenager, who resolved to have “no cake, no preserves,” who wore a watch, was interviewed by the press, traveled by train and could concern herself with the proper size of pipe for a new mission. These are obvious reminders that holiness can be lived in today’s culture as well as in that of Jerusalem or Rome.
Quote:
“The patient and humble endurance of the cross—whatever nature it may be—is the highest work we have to do.” “Oh, how far I am at 84 years of age from being an image of Jesus in his sacred life on earth!” (St. Katharine Drexel)
“The patient and humble endurance of the cross—whatever nature it may be—is the highest work we have to do.” “Oh, how far I am at 84 years of age from being an image of Jesus in his sacred life on earth!” (St. Katharine Drexel)
LECTIO DIVINA:
MATTHEW 23,1-12
Lectio:
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Lent Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Lord God,
you want us to live our faith
not so much as a set of rules and practices
but as a relationship from person to person
with you and with people.
God, keep our hearts turned to you,
that we may live what we believe
and that we may express our love for you
in terms of service to those around us,
as Jesus did, your Son,
who lives with you and the Holy Spirit
for ever and ever.
you want us to live our faith
not so much as a set of rules and practices
but as a relationship from person to person
with you and with people.
God, keep our hearts turned to you,
that we may live what we believe
and that we may express our love for you
in terms of service to those around us,
as Jesus did, your Son,
who lives with you and the Holy Spirit
for ever and ever.
2)
GOSPEL READING - MATTHEW 23, 1-12
Then addressing the crowds and his disciples Jesus said, 'The
scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do and
observe what they tell you; but do not be guided by what they do, since they do
not practise what they preach.
They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people's shoulders,
but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done
to attract attention, like wearing broader headbands and longer tassels, like
wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the
synagogues, being greeted respectfully in the market squares and having people
call them Rabbi. 'You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi,
since you have only one Master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one
on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor
must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher,
the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who raises
himself up will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be raised up.
3)
REFLECTION
• Today’s Gospel presents the criticism of Jesus against the
Scribes and the Pharisees of his time. At the beginning of the missionary
activity of Jesus, the Doctors of Jerusalem went to Galilee to observe him (Mk
3, 22; 7, 1). Disturbed by Jesus’ preaching, they had based their calumny
saying that he was possessed (Mk 3, 22). All along the three years the
popularity of Jesus grew. And at the same time, the conflict between he and the
religious authority also grew. The origin of this conflict was the way in which
they placed themselves before God. The Pharisees sought their own security, not
so much in God’s love toward them, but rather in the rigorous observance of the
Law. Before this mentality, Jesus insists on the practice of love which makes
the observance of the law relative and gives it its true significance.
• Matthew 23, 1-3: The root or origin of the criticism: “They
say but they do not do”. Jesus recognizes the authority of the Scribes and of
the Pharisees. They occupy the chair of Moses and teach the law of God, but
they themselves do not observe what they teach. So Jesus tells them: “You must,
therefore, do and observe what they tell you, but do not do as they do, because
they say but do not do!” This is a terrible criticism! Immediately, like in a
mirror, Jesus shows some aspects of the incoherence of the religious authority.
• Matthew 23, 4-7: Look in the mirror in order to make a
revision of life. Jesus calls the attention of the disciples concerning the
incoherent behaviour of some doctors of the Law. In meditating on this
incoherence, it is convenient to think not in the Pharisees and the Scribes of
that time already past, but rather in ourselves and in our incoherence: they
tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but will not lift a
finger to move them; they do their works in order to be admired; they love to
take the first places and to be called doctors. The Scribes liked to enter into
the houses of the widows and to recite long prayers to receive money in
exchange! (Mk 12, 40).
• Matthew 23, 8-10): You are all brothers. Jesus orders that we
have the contrary attitude. Instead of using the religion and the community as
means for self-promotion in order to appear as being more important before
others, he asks not to use the title of Rabbi or Teacher, of Master, Father and
Guide because only one is the Guide, Christ; only God in Heaven is Father, and
Jesus is the Master, the Teacher. You are all brothers. This is the basis of
the fraternity which comes from the certainty that God is our Father.
• Matthew 23, 11-12: The final summary: the greatest must be the
servant. This phrase is what characterizes both the teaching and the behaviour
of Jesus: “The greatest among you must be your servant; the one who raises
himself up, will be humbled” (cfr. Mk 10, 43; Lk 14, 11; 18, 14).
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• In what does Jesus criticize the Doctors of the Law and in
what does he praise them? In what would he criticize me and in what would he
praise me?
• Have you already seen in the mirror?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
'Honour to me is a sacrifice of thanksgiving;
to the upright I will show God's salvation.' (Ps 50,23)
to the upright I will show God's salvation.' (Ps 50,23)
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