Celebración de la palabra

Tuesday March 10

Tuesday of 2nd Week of Lent

RELIGION IS INTERIOR - NO HYPOCRISY

Introduction

When we know our faith and practice our religious duties and observances – when we go to Mass and the sacraments and practice penance during Lent – are we good Christians? Only if our heart is in what we do. If we act as we believe and do what we say. If our faith affects our everyday living and our relations with our neighbor. If we build up the kingdom of God. Otherwise our faith is hypocritical.

Opening Prayer

Lord God,
you want us to live our faith
not so much as a set of rules and practices
but as a relationship from person to person
with you and with people.
God, keep our hearts turned to you,
that we may live what we believe
and that we may express our love for you
in terms of service to those around us,
as Jesus did, your Son,
who lives with you and the Holy Spirit
for ever and ever.

Reading 1 Is 1:10, 16-20

Hear the word of the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!

Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow.

Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!

Responsorial Psalm 50:8-9, 16BC-17, 21 AND 23

R. (23b)To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
"Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold."
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
"Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?"
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
"When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God."
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Alleluia Ez 18:31

Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD,
and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Gospel Mt 23:1-12

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
"The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people's shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master';
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Commentary

The Gospel today emphasizes the importance of service and humility, which must characterize the Christian community. Honors and tides—rabbi, father, and teacher—that were proper to other states of life were to be avoided when they conferred an authority that belonged only to God. This prohibition does not extend to such titles in society at large, but only to leaders in the community. The male head in the family remains “father” and the presider in the classroom is still “teacher.” But such tides must not become designations of high office or exalted status within the ecclesial community. The reason for this is that in the realm of faith, the one teacher and father is God himself or the Messiah whom he has sent.
So what title is appropriate within the Christian community when speaking of our co-religionists? There is a title that appears repeatedly in the New Testament: “brother and sister.” It is a title that relates us to Christ as brother and to God as father. It is a designation that binds us together as members of one family. It is a term dear to the New Testament and bears no connotation of a superior position.
During my assignment in Rome in the 1970s, I once traveled with the minister general of the Capuchin Franciscans to the town of Aquila, some few hours from Rome. He spoke of his determination to see that all Capuchins be designated brothers or friars, not fathers, in keeping with the mind of St. Francis himself. And he had had a considerable measure of success. I congratulated him on his initiative. Arriving at our destination, we approached the friary driveway. Facing us was a large sign that read “Capuchin Fathers”! “Well, Paschal,” I said, “you win some and you lose some!”

Points to Ponder

Titles and honors in the church today
The role of the Christian leader
The humble are exalted

Intercessions

– That we dare to see what is wrong in our Church and in society and voice our protest, we pray:
– That leaders in the Church and in politics may not let deeds of hunger for power or greed contradict their words and promises, we pray:
– That we may all care for widows and orphans and for those who have a hard time in life, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord God,
we are gathered before you
with your Son in our midst.
May we learn from him
that to celebrate the Eucharist
is no substitute for committing ourselves
to the work of justice and mercy
but its source of strength.
May we build up among us
your kingdom of peace.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God, you send us
to be your community,
to be your sign to the world.
May we not draw attention
to ourselves or to our practices,
but go to you together as your people
and guide the world to you.
May service and love be our humble way,
and may Jesus lead us,
he who is your Son and our Lord for ever.

Blessing

May God give us a sense of honesty with ourselves and with God, that we may not pretend to be better than we are and do nothing just for the sake of being seen by people. God knows, and that is enough. May the holy, truthful God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.