1st Week of Lent 2020 - Friday - The mask of the Pharisee

It sounds as if the Lord is setting some impossibly high standards in the Gospel today: “Unless your holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter the kingdom of God.”  How could our holiness possibly "surpass" that of the Pharisees?  They prided themselves on following every letter of the law—observance of the 613 commandments found in the Torah, their concern for ritual purity was surpassed by none other.  It seems as if Jesus is demanding the impossible for his disciples.

Remember on Ash Wednesday, we heard the Gospel passage about prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  Jesus condemned those who like to parade around, appearing to give alms, or appearing to pray, or appearing to fast.  Jesus calls us beyond the mere appearance of following religious laws.  He condemned these people who were concerned with mere appearances as hypocrites.  The word hypocrite, comes from the greek word meaning, “mask-wearer”.  Jesus doesn't want us to act as if we are praying, he wants us to really pray, from the heart.  He doesn't want us to just act as if we are charitable, he wants us to really give, to really sacrifice for the good of others. 

Jesus saw many of the pharisees as hypocrites, more worried about wearing the mask, acting, appearing to be righteous.  What Jesus teaches is for us to seek radical change—radical holiness.  Radical means, going down to the root—to change not just our outward actions, but our inner attitudes.

This sort of inner conversion requires deep examination of our motives.  Not only seeking repentance for my road rage, but seeking to change the part of my heart which gets impatient when things don't go my way.  Not only avoiding stealing and murdering, but changing the part of my heart that needs to get in the last word when I'm arguing, to change the part of me that takes delight in sharing pieces of juicy gossip, that likes to put my mother-in-law in her place.  Not only do we need to avoid stealing, but change the part of us that avoids charitable giving, because of that little bit of greed that remains in us, that little bit of resentment toward giving to people who should be able to help themselves.

Radical change requires serious self-examination in light of the Gospel and radical prayer.  Frequent sacramental confessions which go to the root of our selfish and prideful attitudes are very helpful in allowing the Lord to change us from the inside-out.

May the Holy Spirit help us to make serious and honest examinations of our lives, motives, attitudes, and habits, and come to that radical change of heart to which the Lord calls us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the season of Lent may bring the most hardened hearts to repentance and bring to all people purification of sin and selfishness.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through fervent prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

For the Holy Spirit to guide the appointment of our next Bishop—that he may be a man of true faith and courage.

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence. And for all victims of the coronavirus and their families. For the Church in China and all places where the Christian message is silenced

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.