In today’s Gospel, Matthew 23: 1-12, Jesus tells his disciples to observe all the things
the scribes and Pharisees tell you to observe “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 marketplace and
the salutation ‘Rabbi’”.
It is easy for anyone but especially, I think, for priests and Sisters
to fall into that trap. We need to be aware when we are following the behavior
of the Pharisees and scribes, when we let authority go to our heads, so to
speak. Do we do what we do in order to be recognized? Do we burden other
people, expecting them to serve us while we do nothing to lighten the burdens
other people bear, burdens the Sisters I live with bear, burdens my wife/husband or my children bear? And, children are you willing to be a servant in your family? Other questions to ask ourselves: Do we dress to attract the accolades of others. Are we enamored
with “places of honor” that come with the titles we bear?
In this Gospel passage, Jesus defines
greatness in terms of service: “The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” The greatest at a banquet, in Jesus’
description, are not those occupying places of honor but those serving tables
and doing dishes in the kitchen!
Am I seeking to
occupy places of distinction or am I content doing the dishes, washing the laundry, cleaning the house, or mowing the lawn? Would Jesus say of me: Observe what she teaches "but do not follow
her example"?
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