DENUNCIATION OF THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES

Second week Lent B: Matt 23:1-12

Denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees: A challenge to us

Both readings present situations where religion had lost its spirit, soul and heart. In the gospel of today, Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for their showy practices. In some ways they wanted to become good models for the observant Jews. Unfortunately, their good intentions were misguided for they sought honor for themselves not for the glory of God. They were more of a burden than a help to people in their struggles and difficulties.

 And it is obvious that in presenting us today with readings the Church invites us to ask ourselves: What about my faith, my religion? Is it Spirit-filled or has it also lost its soul?

Jesus looks today at me and my religious practices. He sees my rosary hanging in the car but not so often in my hands. He sees my religious images and statues my room, a bit dusty with spiders on it. He sees my beautiful Bible in room, most pages still sticking together from the time of its printing. He sees me going to Mass, praying several offices and novenas every week, but still closing my eyes on my neighbor in need. What would He tell me? Would he have harsh words for me too, because I emphasize the word which covers emptiness? Would he remind me that I cannot say I love him when my heart is empty and I never or seldom show this love towards others?

In our daily life, we tend to imitate the scribes and Pharisees. We are overzealous in doing things and fail to realize we do more damage than good to our neighbors. Our Lord Jesus Christ wants us to possess godly humility and simplicity of heart, so that by our service we can be a cause of joy to the people we serve and not as stumbling blocks to their faith in God.

But the Good News in today’s liturgy is that Isaiah assures the people and us of God’s readiness to forgive. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…” That’s the chance the Lord offers us during this Lenten season: to admit what went wrong and bring back the Spirit, the soul to our faith and religion.

The season of Lent is a grace-filled time. It calls us to make changes in our life. “Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord,” ((Is. 1:18). But this conversion must be as radical as ‘scarlet’ becoming ‘white as wool.’ Conversion, in this period of lent, calls us to make a journey from self-centeredness and self-love towards self-giving or selfless love. True selfless love is always expressed and shown in service. Service is that recognizable mark that definitely identifies one as a Christian.

Faith is not demonstrated in mere faithfulness to morning meditation, morning prayer, or Sunday mass. It is revealed in what we do. To see me with a cross or a religious habit does not make me a true Christian; the important thing is what I do. People are not amazed of powerful teachings but of powerful deeds. Faith is not statement, it is witness.