31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

Today we hear Jesus speaking about the scribes and the Pharisees. The Pharisees strived to lead the religious life of purity and encourage others. The Scribes interpreted the Torah – the Jewish Law – and explained it.

Jesus upholds this. He reminds us that they sit in the chair of Moses. Jesus recognises this. He isn't an enemy of the law, but we hear that he says don't imitate them. Because they tie up heavy burdens which are hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders but will not lift a finger to remove them. Basically, they don't practice what they preach.

Just as they were also taking the seats of honour at banquets. Jesus says whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. This is the great reversal that teaches us how to live and ultimately how to attain a place in heaven.

He is not against the heavy burdens and the demands of the Jewish law. He recognises the benefits of suffering (Think of the ‘Beatitudes’ Sermon on the Mount.) But he complains about the unwillingness of the Pharisees to help people to carry the burdens that they have placed upon them and the lack of love that is demonstrated.

Pope Francis reminds us that if you place the truth on people as a burden then you must be able to walk with them. So, it's good to convey the truth – but with love.

The Pharisees used their religion to inflate their own ego. With the widening of phylacteries. These were boxes of leather in which a piece of scripture was placed or a copy of the 'Shema prayer' that they would say every day.

The boxes were attached to bands of leather that were wound around your arms or even head. And the lengthening of tassels on prayer shawls. You still see these things today.

They were being worn to attract the attention of others. Notice Jesus doesn't say ‘no’ to these things, but these things must be used in the right way and at the right time so that it's not about us. They are fine as long as God is at the centre.

Pope John 23rd famously said that when he was issued with his vestments he was amazed at the splendour and the decadence of them. But he said: “May the splendour of these garments always remind me of the splendour of the souls I am called upon to serve.” He didn't say “get rid of them they are far too excessive” or “stop my ordination”.

It's never about the Priest or religious leader. They are only ever pointers to the Lord. This is what Jesus means when he says let no one call you rabbi or teacher and call no one your Father as you have only one Father in heaven.

Obviously, those who work in schools are still called teachers and we as Priests are still called ‘Father. There’s no contradiction here.

This is another example of Jesus using hyperbole in his teaching examples. Like when he says, “if your eye causes you to sin tear it out”. He doesn’t actually expect us to do this. But he is teaching us about the radical nature of sin. So, it is here. It's a form of exaggeration to catch the attention of his audience.

Jesus is emphasizing the importance of our ultimate Father in heaven. He is not prohibiting the use of the term. After all St Paul often refers to himself as a spiritual father in his letters. As does St John who was actually with Jesus when he made this statement.

As human beings all of us are affected by original sin. This means that everything we become involved in, in life has the potential to become corrupted if we are not careful. We only have to look at some of the world leaders to see the extreme extent of this.

Think about religion itself. This should be the highest of human endeavours and yet if you look around the world it has been responsible for some of the worst atrocities.

There is a Roman saying: ‘Coruptio Optima Pessima’ that translated means ‘corruption of the best becomes the very worst’. Religion should be the best thing but can go really wrong at times.

Let us always try to focus on the Lord and put Him first. If we are able to do this everything else finds its place in our lives.