November 5, 2023 (Year A)
Today’s readings are a warning from the Lord directed toward priests, rabbis, and other religious leaders. Here these men are warned of the ramifications which will befall them should they break the commandments in their roles of setting examples for their followers.
The First Reading is from Malachi (Mal. 1:14b-2:2b), the last book of the Old Testament. The prophet Malachi ministered in Jerusalem after the people had returned from exile and rebuilt the temple. The name “Malachi” in Hebrew actually translates to English as “messenger,” so the identity of this prophet is really unknown.
Nonetheless, the prophet speaking as “Malachi” took the priests and Levites to task because they should have been leading the people by word and example but failed to do so. They are admonished: “you have turned aside from the way and have caused many to stumble by your instruction; You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts” (Mal. 2:8).
The covenant of Levi was the model for the priest to be knowledgeable in the law, to instruct the community, to be faithful to the covenant and to lead the faithful in authentic and sincere worship. If the Levitical priest followed true doctrine, people in search of the Lord’s truth and justice could rely on his leadership for guidance and wise council. But these priests, who were venerated as guardians of the Torah, were failing to properly instruct the people in the way of the Lord.
However, since these priests were failing in their duty, they were warned of inevitable punishment. The Lord, speaking through the messenger Malachi, tells them: “I will send a curse upon you and your blessing I will curse. In fact, I have already cursed it, because you do not take it to heart” (Mal. 2:2b).
When we come to the Gospel from Matthew (Mt. 23:1-12), we encounter a similar theme. This time it is Jesus speaking to the disciples and the crowds about their religious leaders the scribes and the Pharisees. Both the scribes and the Pharisees were learned experts in the law. In fact, their strict observance is what earned them the name “Pharisee,” which means “one who is separate.”
But it seems that these Jewish leaders were being hypocritical in their behavior. Jesus describes their two-faced behavior. “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’” (Mt. 23:5-7).
Unlike Jesus who sought out regular people in order to lead them to an experience of the love of God, the Pharisees and scribes disdained regular people as being outside the realm of holiness. They had little sympathy for the day-to-day struggle of their followers and made little effort to ease their burdens. Jesus says, “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” (Mt. 23:4).
Jesus also offers a warning to his followers about the scribes and Pharisees. He says, “Do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example” (Mt. 23:3). This was because there was a gap between what they said and what they did. Through their faulty instruction, they led astray the people they should have been guiding. In other words, they did not “practice what they preached” (Mt. 23:3b).
In the Second Reading (1Thes. 2:7b-9, 13), St. Paul writes to the Thessalonians describing proper behavior for a religious leader which he and his coworkers have demonstrated for the people. “With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us. You recall, brothers, our toil and drudgery. Working night and day in order not to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers” (1Thes. 2:8-10).
Paul, along with Silvanus and Timothy, cowriters of the letter, have brought the Gospel of God to their followers and shared their very selves with the community. Not only with their preaching, but also by their lives of faith and their actions. They have “practiced what they preach.”
After a brief glance at this Sunday’s scripture selections, those of us in the pews might breathe a sigh of relief as the Word has been directed to religious readers instead of us. But we must remember that Jesus is speaking to the disciples and the crowd as his intended audience. What Jesus says to the Pharisees he says to us, as well, knowing that we sometimes fail to integrate the faith we profess with the lives that we lead.
Therefore, Jesus reminds us: “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt. 23:11-12). If we can see any of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in ourselves, then our discipleship and leadership are in need of a thoroughgoing and humble change of heart. We must learn to “practice what we preach.”
