DAILY HOMILIES #scribes

Ordinarily, you should assume that when something good happens to you, people should be happy for you. Isn’t it? The bitter truth is that there will always be scribes and Pharisees around us - people who take offence knowing we are happy. They pretend to be our friends, but the moment our status changes (when things improve for us), they show their true colours.

Why is it easy to exercise restraint when others are watching, yet when we are alone (or think no one is watching), we throw caution to the wind? This was the problem of scribes and Pharisees. Jesus told them: “Nothing is hidden that would not be uncovered… even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” Are there things I do in secret that I am ashamed of?

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. If people get close to us, would they see something different from what we portray in public?

Sadly, despite the diversity of churches, evil seems to rise in our society. Our real problem is hypocrisy. We are always trying to deceive people when we cannot deceive God.

Jesus’s words must never be taken out of context. 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!”

Today, Jesus wants us to know He is more pleased with our reconciliation with others than our offertories. Just as our gifts to God are expensive, forgiveness is also costly. Forgiving others is painful if the person refuses to admit their fault. However, this pain is worth it because it is pleasing to God.

If you really want to know who you are, forget about your titles or what anyone is saying and find out what your actions (especially those you do in secret) are saying about you.

One symptom of this disease is the speed with which its victims detect errors and flaws here and there. Another symptom is that people sick with this disease are never happy! In fact, they grow old quickly because of too much squeezing of faces.

It is in our human nature to judge people whether good or bad. Most times, our judgment is based on what we can see or what we think we know about them, or based on who we are. St. Paul is teaching us today not to be too quick to pass judgment because only God has the capacity to “bring to light the things now hidden in darkness…”

True change can only begin from the inside. As the saying goes, if you want to change the world, begin with the man you see in the mirror. If my preaching must be of any relevance, I must first do away with my hypocrisy and love for money. I must admit the truth and lead by example so as not to demand certain standards from the people which I am not even willing to meet.

Jesus accused the scribes and Pharisees of not teaching the truth regarding swearing and oath-taking. Jesus called them blind guides because they were teaching things that they themselves did not even know.

A clear conscience fears no accusation. If your heart is pure, you are not afraid of your persecutors because you know the God you serve. You do not take up arms to fight because you trust that God knows how to take care of your adversaries.