Matthew 23:1-12

Isaiah 1:10, 16-20

Psalm 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23

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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I am your creature, and you are my Father. Teach me the ways of humility so that I may truly know who I am and what my place is in this passing world. Lead me by the hand along this path to heavenly exaltation and a share in your glory.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Sitting on the Chair of Moses: In the Gospel, Jesus draws attention to the teaching authority of the scribes and Pharisees. On the one hand, they have assumed and taken upon themselves the task of transmitting and interpreting the Law of Moses for the people. On the other hand, they are hypocrites: They preach and teach, but they do not practice what they preach and teach. “Although not Israel’s official teachers or leaders, the Pharisees were popular and held great sway with the masses. They were deeply concerned with the cultural and religious crisis of the day: How does one live as a faithful Jew in a land that is ruled and occupied by pagans (Romans)? The Pharisees’ answer: Israel must separate itself from all Gentile impurity and defilement, since only in this way will God rescue his people from the clutches of Rome. Even their name – which means the ‘separated ones’ (Heb. perushim) – underscores this national agenda” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Old and New Testament, 1792). The time of the “chair of Moses” will soon come to an end, and the time of the chair of Peter and the apostles will start soon.

2. Humble Servants: In contrast to the hypocritical and self-serving leadership of the scribes and Pharisees, the disciples of Jesus are to be humble servants. While the Pharisees loved being called “Rabbi,” which means “my great one,” Jesus’ disciples are to see those they teach as their brothers. God is our true teacher and we can only teach the faith and the way to God if we are docile to the Holy Spirit, who will lead us to all truth (John 16:13). God is our true Father and we will be a father to others only to the degree we imitate the loving and kind fatherhood of God. God the Son, Jesus Christ, is our true “guide” and “leader” (Greek: kathegetes), and we will guide others only to the degree we are in communion with Christ and guide them along the way of Christ.

3. Let Us Set Things Right: In the First Reading, we hear from the opening chapter of the prophet Isaiah. In it, Isaiah is acting as a prosecutor who represents the Lord in a covenant lawsuit against the people of Israel. Israel is accused of breaking the covenant of Deuteronomy. Isaiah recalls that the city of Jerusalem narrowly escaped the Assyrian conquest. And, “Had the Lord not shown his mercy, Jerusalem would have suffered the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities annihilated by the fiery judgments of God (Genesis 19:1-23)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Old and New Testament, 1170). The prophet Isaiah calls the leaders of Jerusalem “princes of Sodom” and the people of Jerusalem “people of Gomorrah” and invites both to hear God’s word and instruction. In brief, he denounces their ritual presumption, “the mistaken belief that correct cultic observance substitutes for a lack of moral obedience… [S]ervice of God is inseparable from service to neighbor (Amos 5:21-24). Isaiah’s polemic is not against the rites of Mosaic worship themselves, but against the hypocrisy of Israel’s leaders, who make a show of religious piety while ignoring the needs of the poor and powerless (Isaiah 1:17)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Old and New Testament, 1170). The religious hypocrisy denounced by Isaiah in the Old Testament is the same hypocrisy denounced by Jesus in the New Testament.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I enjoy contemplating the mysteries of your life. I see the humility of your birth in a stable, the hiddenness of your life in Nazareth, the poverty of your life in Galilee, the misunderstandings you faced, and your desire to save me through your passion and death. You were truly humble and were supremely exalted!

Living the Word of God: Have I fallen into religious hypocrisy, going through the motions of prayer and weekly attendance at mass, while neglecting the needs of my spouse, my family, the poor, and my brothers and sisters in the Church? What can I do to correct this hypocrisy?