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10 소돔의 지도자들아, 주님의 말씀을 들어라. 고모라의 백성들아, 우리 하느님의 가르침에 귀를 기울여라.
16 너희 자신을 씻어 깨끗이 하여라. 내 눈앞에서 너희의 악한 행실들을 치워 버려라.
악행을 멈추고 17 선행을 배워라. 공정을 추구하고 억압받는 이를 보살펴라. 고아의 권리를 되찾아 주고 과부를 두둔해 주어라.
18 주님께서 말씀하신다. “오너라, 우리 시비를 가려보자. 너희의 죄가 진홍빛 같아도 눈같이 희어지고, 다홍같이 붉어도 양털같이 되리라.
19 너희가 기꺼이 순종하면 이 땅의 좋은 소출을 먹게 되리라. 20 그러나 너희가 마다하고 거스르면 칼날에 먹히리라.” 주님께서 친히 말씀하셨다.
복음 마태오 23,1-12
1 그때에 예수님께서 군중과 제자들에게 말씀하셨다.
2 “율법 학자들과 바리사이들은 모세의 자리에 앉아 있다. 3 그러니 그들이 너희에게 말하는 것은 다 실행하고 지켜라. 그러나 그들의 행실은 따라 하지 마라. 그들은 말만 하고 실행하지는 않는다. 4 또 그들은 무겁고 힘겨운 짐을 묶어 다른 사람들 어깨에 올려놓고, 자기들은 그것을 나르는 일에 손가락 하나 까딱하려고 하지 않는다.
5 그들이 하는 일이란 모두 다른 사람들에게 보이기 위한 것이다. 그래서 성구갑을 넓게 만들고 옷자락 술을 길게 늘인다. 6 잔칫집에서는 윗자리를, 회당에서는 높은 자리를 좋아하고, 7 장터에서 인사받기를, 사람들에게 스승이라고 불리기를 좋아한다.
8 그러나 너희는 스승이라고 불리지 않도록 하여라. 너희의 스승님은 한 분뿐이시고 너희는 모두 형제다. 9 또 이 세상 누구도 아버지라고 부르지 마라. 너희의 아버지는 오직 한 분, 하늘에 계신 그분뿐이시다. 10 그리고 너희는 선생이라고 불리지 않도록 하여라. 너희의 선생님은 그리스도 한 분뿐이시다.
11 너희 가운데에서 가장 높은 사람은 너희를 섬기는 사람이 되어야 한다. 12 누구든지 자신을 높이는 이는 낮아지고 자신을 낮추는 이는 높아질 것이다.”
March 6, 2007
Is 1:10, 16-20
Hear the word of the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!
Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.
Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!
Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23
R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
Mt 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.”
Commentary
We do not like to think of ourselves as Sodom or Gomorrah-a people known for their wickedness, sexual promiscuity, greed, and insulting behaviors before God. But that is what and who we are. And Isaiah calls us back: cease doing evil, learn to do good. And again it is doing justice for the wronged, the orphan, the widow, the poor. If only we would obey and not continue to resist and refuse. We must choose: the sword that destroys us as our deeds come back to us or setting things right with the Lord.
Jesus uses the example of the leaders-to do what they say, but not what they do. Their words are bold but their deeds few (sadly our own leaders in our communities and church would most probably be taken to task and spoken about in the same way today). We are to open our eyes and see that our leaders bind up heavy loads and lay them on others' shoulders but don't lift a finger to help. Instead of following in their footsteps we are to be servants and humbly make sure that those who are burdened receive our help.
http://www.bible.claret.org
"Whoever humbles himself will be exalted"
Who doesn’t want to be admired and honored by others? God, however, sees us truly as we are – beggars and sinners in need of his constant grace and mercy. Jesus chided the scribes and Pharisees for seeking the praise of others by drawing attention to their showy religious practices. In a way they wanted to be good models of observant Jews. "See how well we observe all the ritual rules and regulations of our religion!" In their misguided zeal for religion they sought respect and honor for themselves rather than for God. They made the practice of their faith a burden rather than a joy for the people they were supposed to serve. True respect for God and his ways inclines us to Godly humility and to simplicity of heart -- wanting to please God alone.
Was Jesus against calling anyone "rabbi" or "father"? Or was he just directing this sharp rebuke to the scribes and Pharisees? Jesus seemed to be warning both his disciples and the religious leaders about the temptation to seek titles and honors to increase one's reputation and admiration by others. The scriptures give ample warning about the danger of self-seeking pride: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbes 16:18) "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6; Proverbs 3:24)
Respect for God and his ways inclines us to Godly humility and simplicity of heart. What is true humility and why should we embrace it? True humility is not feeling bad about yourself, or having a low opinion of yourself, or thinking of yourself as inferior to others. True humility frees us from preoccupation with ourselves, whereas a low self-opinion tends to focus our attention on ourselves. Humility is truth in self-understanding and truth in action. Viewing ourselves truthfully, with sober judgment, means seeing ourselves the way God sees us (Psalm 139:1-4). A humble person makes a realistic assessment of oneself without illusion or pretense to be something one is not. A truly humble person regards oneself neither smaller nor larger than one truly is. True humility frees us to be ourselves as God sees us and to avoid despair and pride. A humble person does not want to wear a mask or put on a facade in order to look good to others. Such a person is not swayed by accidentals, such as fame, reputation, success, or failure. Do you know the joy of Christ-like humility and simplicity of heart?
Humility is the queen or foundation of all the other virtues because it enables us to see and judge correctly, the way God sees. Humility helps us to be teachable so we can acquire true knowledge, wisdom, and an honest view of reality. It directs our energy, zeal, and ambition to give ourselves to something greater than ourselves. Humility frees us to love and serve others selflessly, for their sake, rather than our own. Paul the Apostle gives us the greatest example and model of humility in the person of Jesus Christ, who emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and ...who humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:7-8). Do you want to be a servant as Jesus served and loved others? The Lord gives grace to those who humbly seek him.
"Lord Jesus, you became a servant for my sake to set me free from the tyranny of self-concern, conceit, and sinful pride. Help me to be humble as you are humble and to be generous in loving and serving others."
Psalm 50:8-9,16-17,21,23
8 I do not reprove you for your sacrifices; your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I will accept no bull from your house, nor he-goat from your folds.
16 But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes, or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.
21 These things you have done and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you.
23 He who brings thanksgiving as his sacrifice honors me; to him who orders his way aright I will show the salvation of God!"
When a bishop is in a procession of bishops, how does he hold his crozier? If he is in his own diocese he holds it with the crook pointing forwards, but if he is in another bishop’s diocese he holds it with the crook pointing backwards! At least that is what custom dictates. Dogs do something similar with their tails when they are in or out of their own territory! There are still many such foolish rubrics and customs defacing the Church. We still cling to badges of distinction: titles, dress, and rank…. These would be just harmless foibles if there wasn’t a subtext: that others are in some way less significant beings. But “you are all brothers and sisters,” Jesus said.
Should we all be exactly the same then? I heard of a novice mistress long ago who was uneasy that her novices were all of different height, so she had a carpenter make boxes for the smaller ones to stand on while in choir! This is the opposite extreme. But the two extremes have this in common: that both are wasting good time on appearances; both are assaulting in some way the dignity of others; and neither is concerned with the service of their brothers and sisters.
The Reflection on today’s Readings came easy because of hearing a colleague and friend speak last week on one’s calling in life and integrating that calling with being Christian and Catholic. I will comment on a few lines from the Old Testament and a few lines from the New Testament.
From the Psalm – “Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.”
From Matthew’s Gospel – “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.”
Last week I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Mike Lawler, Creighton University theologian, speak on the meaning of one’s calling in life. He had a way of framing his words, both spoken and in his handout, of re-reminding us that one’s calling means both “a call from God and a person’s response to that call.” He then discussed the importance in both the Jewish and the Christian traditions of God standing on the side of the poor. To quote from his handout – “A reciprocal relationship between God and those Jesus called ‘the least of my brethren’ (Matt 25:40) has always been embedded in his Jewish tradition as a reciprocal relationship between God and the poor. The prophets consistently link these two and proclaim that to know and love God requires action against the injustice and oppression perpetrated against God’s people.” (Dr. Mike Lawler, handout, Cardoner Conference, 2-16-07).
Thus, if I am to live out my calling in life – as a Catholic Christian – I must have a preferential option for the poor. How do I do this? From both the Psalm and Matthew’s Gospel, we are given some direction. How do I work for justice? What wrongs do I redress? How do I better orphans’ lives? Widows’ lives? Am I someone who adds heavy burdens to others’ lives? Or, do I take actions that lessen such burdens? Am I active or passive in living out a calling which puts me on the side of the poor? Do I even think about it? Do I analyze my personal actions? My responsibilities in being a policy activist? Do I seriously reflect on how my actions and non-actions perpetuate poverty? My spiritual tradition is clear on how I should respond to my calling in life. Do I?
Finally, I am struck by the wisdom of one sentence in Matthew’s Gospel – “The greatest among you must be your servant.” Two thousand years after this was written, many corporate, management, and academic organizations advocate this same model, i.e., servant leadership. At all levels of what one might describe as success, individuals are eval uating that servant leadership is the best management model for organizations.
by
Beth Furlong
School of Nursing
Why do we practice religion? What is the motivation that moves us to practice prayer and to identify ourselves as belonging to Christ? It is essential that our intentions are informed with humility and love. We start with the most simple of prayers: naked before God we wish only for mercy. We rest in God's absolute power and gently embrace our fundamental poverty. We resist the adulation we think we deserve for our virtues. Only prayer will save us from the parasite of self-satisfaction. Only God is our Father and Christ is our Master and we are all brethren. Thus the Father will sustain us; thus Christ will teach us and form us into His image. |
