DAILY HOMILIES #scribes

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus likened the scribes and Pharisees to whitewashed tombs, beautiful from the outside but full of dead men’s bones inside. Jesus also condemned the fact that the Scribes and Pharisees had a practice of adorning the tombs of the prophets (who were killed for speaking the truth) to exonerate themselves from the crimes of their ancestors.

Paying one’s tithe is not a sin, but it should never be done out of fear. God’s blessings are not reserved for tithers only. Jesus mentioned the washing of the outside of cups and dishes, while inside their hearts were full of extortion and rapacity (the violent seizure and carrying off of another’s property; plunder). When the preacher is only interested in what he can get from the people (the inside), his words (the outside) cannot be clean.

Many of us (preachers) attempt to deceive people by pretending to be holy, but we are not. We are like David, who was quick to condemn the man in Nathan’s fable, or like the men who brought the woman caught in adultery to Jesus. We assume the moral high ground and we quickly pick stones against government officials, tax collectors, so-called sinners, but as Jesus would say, “Let him who has not sinned be the first to cast a stone.” When we honestly look inwards, we realise that even though we stand on the pulpit to preach, we are worse than our audience.

Jesus is not against the use of titles. No. Jesus is against answering a name that your actions contradict. Don’t call me Father if I am not behaving like one. I don’t deserve such titles if I do not practice what I preach. Jesus is against the worship of human beings. If I do what is wrong, be bold enough to call and correct me. Do not say: “Leave him alone. He is next to God.” Jesus says: “Call no man on earth your God. You have only one God who is in heaven!”

God instructed Hosea to marry a harlot to demonstrate the idolatrous practices of the Israelite nation. Just as a harlot leaves her husband for other men, we cheat on God when we break the first commandment. Hosea says: “Return to the Lord. Say to Him: ‘…Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; we will say no more, ‘Our God’, to the work of our hands.’” (Hosea 14:2-3).

No matter what your past has been, as Micah says today, God will forgive your sin (Cf. Micah 7:18-20). The only time God will not forgive is when we refuse to ask for forgiveness. This is known as despair (the belief that God cannot forgive).

The scribes and Pharisees were more concerned about their appearance than their holiness. They invested heavily in looking good but remained ugly in God’s sight. They took seats of honour at banquets but remained unworthy of the eternal banquet. They sat in the front rows of the synagogue, but without oil in their lamps, they were destined to stay outside like the foolish virgins. (cf. Matthew 25:1-13). They enjoyed the respect of men but had no integrity in God’s sight; they didn’t deserve the titles they gave themselves.

Trust in God. Do not be distracted by your poverty and lack. Do not worry about your empty stomach or your empty store. Seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first; God will provide abundant bread when needed. (Cf. Matthew 6:33). Let it not be that you participated in evil because you were hungry. God will be so disappointed. Trust that God will provide your needs; pursue righteousness. Dare to be different like Noah.

The failure of the scribes and Pharisees to see that God was in their midst despite their familiarity with the scriptures goes to prove the point of today’s first reading: “For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.” (Hebrews 4:2).

Jesus knew that the Pharisees were following him to find fault with him. He could have chosen the path of diplomacy, pretending he didn’t see the man with a withered hand. He could have signalled this man to meet him secretly, but Jesus chose to heal him publicly. Do not be afraid of what anyone would do to you. Only fear God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Cf. Matthew 10:28)

From Jesus’ response, we learn two important points. One, Jesus is God; He is the long-awaited bridegroom. He is the Lord of the Sabbath. Two, God wants us to worship Him in spirit and truth instead of merely observing rules (Cf. John 4:23). There is a difference between worshipping God and following the commandments. This is the difference between the new wineskins and the old wineskins.

In his admonition to the Corinthians, Paul made no negative statement about Apollos, who had been made a rival to him by the people. This is very instructive. It is the devil’s delight to see church leaders quarrel and fight over what they say. Avoid taking sides when people bring gossip; they may be plotting the stage for you to fight with your brother.