Reading 1
Ez 43:1-7ab
The angel led me to the gate which faces the east,
and there I saw the glory of the God of Israel
coming from the east.
I heard a sound like the roaring of many waters,
and the earth shone with his glory.
The vision was like that which I had seen
when he came to destroy the city,
and like that which I had seen by the river Chebar.
I fell prone as the glory of the LORD entered the temple
by way of the gate which faces the east,
but spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court.
And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the Lord.
Then I heard someone speaking to me from the temple,
while the man stood beside me.
The voice said to me:
Son of man, this is where my throne shall be,
this is where I will set the soles of my feet;
here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever.
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.”
Meditation: Matthew 23:1-12
“All their works are performed to be seen.” (Matthew 23:5)
Jesus didn’t mince any words in criticizing these Pharisees for their outward display of holiness. That’s because he knew that many of them weren’t living up to the standards they expected from others. We can be sure they had good intentions. They studied the Law because they wanted to follow God’s will, but their behavior contradicted it. They modified their religious clothing to make it stand out more, and they sought the respect of the people, not for who they were but for their position in society (Matthew 23:5-7).
We might wonder why the Pharisees were so concerned about other people’s opinions. It’s not that they were insecure. It’s more likely that they were trying to protect their faith against corruption by their Roman occupiers. They wanted to preserve Judaism at all costs. And so they stressed ritual and tradition to the point that they lost sight of what was supposed to be underneath it. In the process, they started looking down on those who weren’t “true believers” according to their standards.
None of us is above temptation. Though we may not carry enormous Bibles or wear huge crosses to show off, we may still want to be recognized for who we are and what we can do. Or we may hide our gifts, imagining we’re not worthy enough to share them—which can also be a subtle form of pride. But our weakness in these areas shouldn’t discourage us. On the contrary, it should make us all the more eager to seek God’s mercy!
If you want to be humble, you don’t have to look any further than Jesus for your example. He never tried to get attention. He never promoted himself, and yet he drew far more people than the Pharisees ever could. That’s because he had what they needed—a relationship with his heavenly Father. You don’t have to impress anyone if you are following Jesus. You just have to stay close to him, and people will recognize his presence within you. He will purify your heart so that you can empty yourself, take up the cross, and serve him with joy!
“Father, help me to fix my eyes on your cross. I want to walk with you on the narrow road that leads to life. Lord, I give glory to you alone!”
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