Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Gospel Reading: Matthew 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.”

In today’s reading, Jesus calls us to become a leader in the church.  So what does it take to become a leader?  Do we need to wear a crown or sit a special seat or have a special title?  No, “[t]he greatest among you must be your servant.”  Jesus criticizes the scribes and the Pharisees for their self glorifying righteousness and false piety. We too can find ourselves boasting about our position or our knowledge while condemning others.  He tells his disciples to “do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.” Your job as a leader is not to burden the lives of your pupils, but to free them these burdens.  Following Christ is suppose to be joyful and uplifting. We need to be willing to do things for others because we want to do it, not so others will praise us. God sees us truly as we are. We are completely exposed to the eyes of God. Remember, He sees us as the sinners we truly are. The scribes and the Pharisees wanted to set an example; but in doing so they eventually set themselves on pedestals above all others. They wanted people to focus their attention on them and their own actions and not on the will of God. When we do things to show off our religious zeal, then we too are placing our self above God. Jesus calls us to be humble and to be contrite. We should do good deeds not to impress others, but to honor God for all He has given us. When we humble ourselves, we remove the barriers of pride and the fear of inferiority. This frees our heart to be open and giving to others. Jesus said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” If we truly want to be exalted, we must first become humble.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus, you were the servant of all mankind.

Teach me to be humble and contrite.

Teach me to love my neighbor as myself.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon