Jesus often condemned the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. A hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another—claims to be something on the outside, but on the inside is something else.
On the outside, the Pharisees were claiming to be religious leaders, they were supposed to be leading God’s people to the truth needed for salvation, helping God’s people to grow in authentic holiness and righteousness. In the context of 1st century Judaea, they should have been helping the people to recognize the authenticity of Jesus’ message, helping the people to believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Jesus condemns them for doing the opposite of what they should have been doing. They were leading the people to be more worried about outward appearance than on interior holiness. Appearing to be holy was almost a social game, a status symbol to the Pharisees. And Jesus condemns them for playing at a game, being false religious leaders, of being hypocrites.
The Pharisees were so busy playing this game, build-up their false selves, so busy lying, they actually started to believe the lie, like play actors, or Hollywood actors, who put on the mask for the stage, and start to actually believe they are the fictional character.
Jesus teaches very rightly in the Gospel today, that God sees through our hypocrisy, to the heart of the matter. He sees through all human pretenses, all play acting, all ruses: the true intensions of man will be made known, and we will be judged for them.
Many people today get caught up in social games similar to the Pharisees. They seek to appear to be more successful, they signal that they are more virtuous or concerned about the poor, and therefore better than everyone else. But much of it is a ruse.
Rather the saints take off the mask, they humble themselves before God, they repent of their sins, they seek the reformation of their hearts. Today’s Saint, Paul of the Cross, was the founder of the Passionists. Like so many saints, he urges Christians to meditate frequently on the crucifixion.
Meditation on the cross is a remedy for our self-conceit because we cannot deny that the reason Jesus is on the cross is because of MY sins. Facing the cross requires humility because it means facing the truth about ourselves, but also the truth about God. Today’s saint called the cross is “the most holy school” in which we learn what true love, holiness and righteousness looks like.
With the help of the saints may we be stripped of our own pharisaic attitudes and come humbly and penitentially before the cross of Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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For spiritual growth for all of God’s people, that we may be lead in the ways of authentic truth, justice, and charity.
For those who have fallen into error, for Catholics who have grown lukewarm in their faith, for those who have left the Church, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.
For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October: That all workers may receive respect and protection of their rights, and that the unemployed may receive the opportunity to contribute to the common good.
That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.
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