BIBLE STUDY #61
THIRTY FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
October 30, 2011


READING 1
MAL 1:14B-2:2B, 8-10

A great King am I, says the LORD of hosts,
and my name will be feared among the nations.
And now, O priests, this commandment is for you:
If you do not listen,
if you do not lay it to heart,
to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts,
I will send a curse upon you
and of your blessing I will make a curse.
You have turned aside from the way,
and have caused many to falter by your instruction;
you have made void the covenant of Levi,
says the LORD of hosts.
I, therefore, have made you contemptible
and base before all the people,
since you do not keep my ways,
but show partiality in your decisions.
Have we not all the one father?
Has not the one God created us?
Why then do we break faith with one another,
violating the covenant of our fathers?

The Word of the Lord

READING 2
1 THES 2:7B-9, 13

Brothers and sisters:
We were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children.
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 and sisters, our toil and drudgery.
Working night and day in order not to burden any of you,
we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly,
that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us,
you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God,
which is now at work in you who believe.
The Word of the Lord

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."

The Gospel of the Lord

Reflection


Jesus is again embroiled in controversy with his religious opponents, namely the scribes and Pharisees, who are involved in the day to day governance of the Jewish community. In the passion narratives, Jesus religious opposition are the chief priests and elders. Authority in the community was passed from this second group to the first after the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, another reason why this gospel was written after this date.

The chair of Moses refers to the teaching and ruling authority of the scribes and Pharisees. Every bishop in our church has his own chair (called a cathedra, located in the diocesan cathedral) that functions the same way: it is a symbol of his authority to teach, govern, and sanctify. The Pope has his own chair, and when he issues a statement ‘ex cathedra’ (from the chair), it has binding power – it is something we must believe.

Jesus then recognizes the authority of the scribes and Pharisees. He is not trying to usurp their power but to influence their thoughts and actions. Their teachings are to be followed, but not their example. The people would be illiterate and unable to read, and therefore dependent on the scribes and Pharisees for the reading and interpretation of scripture.

Jesus’ main criticism and the main theme of today’s gospel is “For they preach but they do not practice.” In other words, Jesus is accusing the scribes and Pharisees of being hypocrites.

Some examples of this hypocrisy are:

1. “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.” There were 613 laws to memorize and follow, quite a burden for illiterate people who were just trying to survive. People were living in the edge, they were mostly poor, and worked long hours. Following these laws could be quite a burden, especially the purity laws, tithing, and sabbath observance.
2. “All their works are performed to be seen.” Instead of doing things because they needed to be done, they want others to see them and be given credit for their good works. This is common in all ages. People will donate money to help the church, but they want to be acknowledged so everyone knows about their generosity.
3. Phylacteries and tassels are identifying symbols scribes and Pharisees use to impress other people with their piety.
4. “Places of honor at banquets” – expecting this type of treatment is an excessive interest in status and show. Invited by your host to sit in a place of honor is one thing; it is another to expect or demand a place of honor.
5. When we have a title, like Rabbi (teacher), Father (used for elders), Masters (guide and teacher) can be a source of “I” strain. Having a title that is earned is one thing; using your title to impress other pe0ople and build your ego is another.

The problem here is not only hypocrisy, but attitude. Why do we do the things we do? For example, many people nowadays wear symbols identifying them as catholics, but it doesn’t mean that they are hypocrites, just that they are witnessing to their faith; although it is possible that some are trying to impress others with their piety. What is your reason for wearing christian symbols?

The church is apostolic times was coming from a Jewish background of heirarchically structured roles and the new christian community was trying something new. Everything was shared in common, there was no hierarchy, no titles, with all members participating fully and equally in the new community with one master, that is, Christ.

It didn’t take too long, however, for hierarchy, structure, and titles to emerge in the church, as early as apostolic times. For example, the qualifications for bishops and deacons are listed in 1 Timothy 3: 1-13.

I don’t have any problem with hierarchy, structure and titles. These things are necessary for the orderly operation of any organization, including the church. I don’t relish the idea of making decisions by consensus because then we end up with the something everyone agrees on, usually the lowest common denominator but not always the correct decision. I think someone needs to be in charge. Structure is formed by leadership and we believe that Christ guides the Church. Titles are used to identify roles and responsibilities.

The problem is not hierarchy, structure, or titles. The problem is lack of humility and an attitude of privilege. The gospel says, “The greatest among you must be your servant.” Jesus was a servant who did not look, and actually shunned, power and privilege. While there are leaders who fit this ideal, we all know there are those who don’t.

Jesus warns us, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." This is a warning all those in authority (and everyone, for that matter) should paste on their bathroom mirror so they can see it everyday. When we look for earthly rewards, we shouldn’t expect heavenly ones.

The first reading from Malachi is one that all in authority should read. Malachi places the blame for the collapse of the community on the shoulders of the priests and God is not happy: “And now, O priests, this commandment is for you:
If you do not listen, if you do not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, I will send a curse upon you and of your blessing I will make a curse.” The priests are supposed to set an example for the faithful by their lives and teachings. If they fail in this way, they will suffer the consequences.

In the second reading, Paul is distinguishing himself from other prophets and false teachers who wanted payment for their work because he supported himself. He also stresses the importance of preaching the gospel with our actions as well as our words. His preaching rang true to his mode of living. Paul was well aware that it was by God’s grace that the Good News was spread, not by his own actions. We should all be so humble.


Fr. Phil