An Ego Deflating Proposition

This Sundays Gospel

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." 

Being both a religious and a priest I must admit the readings this Sunday have a way of making me feel a little uncomfortable. Yet, this is why we need the gospels and the readings from the Hebrew bible.  They keep us accountable when our own accountant has lost touch with reality.

Both readings state the obvious: religion is being miss-used, and people are being miss-treated as a result.  However, as bad as things get in Jerusalem, it is important to look at Christ’s attitude towards the faith.  He does not encourage his hears to rebel, dismiss or leave Judaism.  He in fact, says listen to your leaders; in another words - remain loyal.

Why in God’s name would you listen to someone who isn’t practicing what they are preaching?  Because the reality is, there is nothing wrong with the orthodoxy of faith, even when it is spoken by a person who is severely flawed. 

I remember when I was young in my vocation and I used to listen to a priest who inspired me to such a degree that I used to record his homilies.   As a matter of fact, I still listen to these tapes to this day.  A short time after I entered the order, I learned that he had a relationship with a women and had gotten her pregnant.  He ended up leaving the priesthood and marring her.  Today, we may not rank this as a major scandal considering what the church has been through these last few years.

However, I still had to make a decision; was I going to let his actions hinder me, or was I going to press on knowing that Christ was my ultimate leader, teacher, and savior?  This is what Mathew’s Gospels is teaching us today; we should strive to have Christ in the center of our lives: everyone else should be a secondary source, everyone else should be of secondary importance.

“You are not to be called Rabbi.”  There is nothing wrong with being a Rabbi.  Jesus is not trying to do away with the position, he is simply trying to get his disciples to realize that in order to be his disciple they had to rid themselves of all ambitions however good, however noble, but where not in-line with the mission to spread the Gospel.

“Call no one on earth your father, you have but one Father in heaven.”  The question arises often with me being a priest why do we call you father when Matthew's Gospel says we shouldn't.  Jesus used of the word Abba to describe God as Father and it became such a sacred word that the early church wanted it used for God alone.  Yet, some early church fathers stilled used it like a monk who called himself "Abba Isaac."  Jesus was not thinking about the Catholic priest who holds the title father or even the parent who is a father. Instead he wanted them to understand that certain titles belong to God alone.

However, as we know all-to-well there are certain ministers who have not lived up to their title.  There are also people who should never have been called, Officer, Your Honor, Doctor, or even Mother or Father. Our world is riddled with scandal on every level, and in today’s gospel, Jesus looks at his disciple’s and in his own way teaches to them, ‘know yourselves, be right sized, choose a position that will please God most; become a humble servant’s and serving the needs of others and you will find your importance, because those who try to become important by being the boss and the big-shot will be humbled.' 

But those who serve will find no greater meaning than being a part of God’s loving community.