Skip to main content

People of the Lie




#DAYLIGHT – Daily #MenOfLight#GospelReflection
August 28, 2019
Wednesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Mt 23: 27 - 32
Sharer: Bro. Mike Lapid


++++++++++++++++++++++


The Gospel
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. 28 Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ 31 Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; 32 now fill up what your ancestors measured out!

++++++++++++++++++++++


REFLECTION


People of the Lie

In today’s reading, Jesus addresses the scribes and Pharisees and calls them hypocrites. At that time, scribes and Pharisees were part of the religious elite. They knew the commandments of the Lord by heart. They taught and guided people to love the laws of God and played a vital role in the religious life of Israel.  

Notwithstanding their high status in religious circles, Jesus calls them hypocrites which is a very strong derogatory word. No one perhaps in those days had the courage to call them hypocrites. But Jesus did. Jesus compared them to whitewashed tombs that appeared beautiful on the outside but rotten and filthy on the inside. He described them as people who were filled with hypocrisy and evildoing. In other words, they were evil and Jesus was there to unmask this evil.

Jesus’ use of strong derogatory language against the scribes and Pharisees did not sit well with them. In fact, Jesus’ critical voice brought out into the light the evil that was inside their hearts as they plotted and conspired to condemn Jesus to die on the cross. Only people who are evil could have the guts to condemn an innocent man to death and still feel that what they have done is right.

This reading, moreover, also gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is. While Jesus doesn’t condemn sinners and all their wickedness, he seems to be intolerant of hypocrisy. He seems intolerant of those who put up a show of their righteousness before men but who, in reality, are evil to the core. It seems that these people will never get to repent about anything because they are blind to their own faults.

How then should this reading affect us?

First, it should be clear to us that we cannot hide anything from the Lord. The Lord knows us through and through. He knows what is in our hearts; our motives, our inclinations, the desires of our hearts and our sinfulness. There is no sense in trying to hide anything from the Lord who knows everything. When we pray in front of the Lord, we should open up ourselves to the Lord who knows all our weaknesses and failures and with great candor speak to the Lord about our personal struggles in life. This makes us humble and sincere before the Lord.

Second, there is always our human tendency to make a show of our righteousness. Like the scribes and Pharisees, we are tempted to project to others that we are fine and good people; that we are devout and religious; that we are generous, caring and giving; that we are oh, so good and deserving of praise and affirmation from the people around us.

Unfortunately, when we put up a show of our good deeds to impress people, to please them and to create a positive image of ourselves in society, we end up manipulating the minds of people whom we want to impress. Hypocrisy is a kind of manipulation because we project to others what is not real and true. Unfortunately, there is another word for what is not real and true – it is called a lie. Hypocrites are people living a lie; indeed, they are people of the lie who have put up something which is not true and real. The biggest tragedy of hypocrites is that they think they can even fool God with their lies. Not so, the wicked not so, says Psalm 1; they are like chaff that the wind drives away. This is why perhaps Jesus was ever so intolerant of hypocrites because they will never be able to stand when judgment comes.


++++++++++++++++++++++

PRAYER

Jesus, you know me through and through. You know my thoughts, my words and my actions. There is nothing that remains hidden, nothing that you do not know. Yet, despite of this, I always have the tendency to make a show of what is good in me, seeking the affirmation of people around me. At times, I end up not being real in what I show people because it is not really who I am. Help me Lord not to live the lie of hypocrisy. Purify my heart , Lord. Guide me so that I may be humble and sincere of heart. Amen.


++++++++++++++++++++++


ASSIGNMENT


Pray Psalm 139.
Quietly and peacefully reflect on how God knows you perfectly well.


++++++++++++++++++++++


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jesus The Living Bread

Jesus The Living Bread Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Jn 6: 51 – 58 Introduction Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Today, we remember Jesus giving himself as food and drink for the life of the world. The Gospel 51  I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52  The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53  So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54  Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55  for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56  Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57  Just a...
3 comments
Read more

The Road to Emmaus

The Road to Emmaus Lk 24: 13 - 35 Third Sunday of Easter Introduction Our reading is about the two disciples who were travelling to Emmaus. As they traveled, Jesus accompanies them and listens to their stories. As the night drew near, they beg Jesus to stay with them. There, while at table, in the breaking of the bread, they recognize Jesus who immediately vanishes from their sight. The Gospel Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14  and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15  While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16  but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17  And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18  Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jer...
Post a Comment
Read more

Parables of the Kingdom

Parables of the Kingdom 16 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mt 13: 24 – 43 Introduction Today’s reading presents to us three parables. As Jesus said, parables unlock the secrets of the Kingdom that have remained hidden from the world. The Gospel 24  He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25  but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26  So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27  And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28  He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29  But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30  Let both of the...
2 comments
Read more