2nd Week of Lent 2022 - Tuesday - They preach but they do not practice

 This morning, in his Lenten reflection, Bishop Malesic recalled the words of Pope St. Paul VI from his famous exhortation on evangelization, evangelii nuntiandi. Pope Paul said, “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses."

In the Gospel, the Lord criticizes the Pharisees: they were good teachers, but terrible witnesses. So the Lord tells his disciples “Do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.”

This reminds me of my favorite part of the ordination rite for deacons. Kneeling in front of the Bishop, the newly ordained is charged: “Receive the book of the Gospels whose herald you have become. Believe what you read. Teach what you believe. And practice what you teach.”

The ordained cannot just be preachers of the word. They must be doers of the word, as St. James would say. In fact, St. James gives that instruction to all Christians: do not just be hearers of the word, but doers of the word. In the words of Pope Paul, don’t just be teachers, but witnesses. “Preach always, sometimes use words”

This teaching is most manifest in the life of Our Lord. The Christ didn’t just preach self-sacrificial love, he manifests self-sacrificial love, taking upon himself unspeakable suffering in his Passion and Death for our salvation. 

Lent is certainly an opportunity for the church to move beyond lip service. “Show your repentance” says John the Baptist. We show our repentance not just by lip service, not just with words, words, words, but through concrete, physical, visible works of penance: prayer, fasting, almsgiving, works of charity.

Words and teaching are important. Our words and teachings must always be consistent with those of Christ, with the Apostolic Faith. but Pope Paul concludes, “It is therefore primarily by her conduct and by her life that the Church will evangelize the world, in other words, by her living witness of fidelity to the Lord Jesus- the witness of poverty and detachment, of freedom in the face of the powers of this world, in short, the witness of sanctity.”

May our faith be seen in our witness, may our repentance be seen in our good works, may our love be seen in our actions, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

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.

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. And for the Church in China and all places where the Gospel 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.