Dear Parish Family,

In today’s Gospel Jesus makes three objections: the Pharisaic scribes do not practice what they preach, they adopt a very narrow and burdensome interpretation of the Torah, and they seek public acknowledgment. Jesus’ exhortation to do what the Pharisaic scribes teach is a compliment to their expertise. They know the Scripture and interpret it well. Sadly, Scripture is not the script by which they live. This is why Jesus calls them “actors” (the literal translation of the Greek word usually rendered “hypocrites,” a word Jesus uses repeatedly when talking about the Pharisees). Jesus discourages imitating these actors.

Recall that some Pharisaic scribes distinguished “heavy” or serious commandments and “light” or less serious commandments among the 613 they identified in the Torah, while others did not. In Jesus’ day, each approach was represented by a famous teacher and expert in the Torah. Hillel typically favored a broad interpretation, while Shammai typically favored a strict or narrow interpretation. Strict interpreters laid heavy burdens on others and refused to lighten the burdens by means of a broader interpretation of obligation.

Everyone in this culture needs to be seen and affirmed publicly in order to have status or honor. Jesus’ complaint therefore concerns excess in the search for recognition and acclaim. Imagine the excess that must have characterized the Pharisees’ phylacteries and cloak fringes if Jesus’ charge is to make sense to his listeners. Jesus taught his followers to address God as Father (Mt 6:9). The point quite simply is that Jesus’ disciples ought not to engage in an all-consuming search for honor by selecting titles, like “father” that they may not deserve. This passage has no relationship at all to the modern practice of addressing ordained male priests with the title “father.” The Catholic priest is ordained to continue the loving work of the Father.  His fatherhood comes from God and must point to God.  I am called father because the mandate of the Sacrament of Holy Orders is to make the Father’s love real for His people.  When I don’t do that, then I don’t deserve to be called father.

Matthew 23 isn’t just about priesthood, though.  It is about how all of us use our position in the Church.  We all have authority, some as priests, some as teachers, some as parents, some as catechists, etc.  Many of you are parents. Do you parents demand that your children respect you because you are on an ego trip and want someone in the world to look up to you?  Not if you are good parents.  If you are good parents, and you are, you demand that your children respect you as the representative of God in this stage of their lives.  You also want them to learn respect for all those whom God has given any form of authority. The same message can be applied to all of us in whatever share of authority the Lord has given us.  Most of us are confirmed.  That means that we are given positions of leadership in the Church. 

The basic message of today’s gospel is that everything we do must be about Jesus Christ, never about ourselves. We have to understand that we are His servants.  Our priests must manifest God’s fatherhood, not their own fatherhood.  Our teachers are part of the teaching ministry of Christ, and are teaching for his glory, not teaching for their own glory.  In all things, God must be exalted.  If that means at times stepping back while another continues the Work of God more effectively than we can, so be it.  It is better to humble ourselves and be exalted by God then to exalt ourselves and be humbled by God.

Fr. Tom Kunnel C.O.