Thirty-first Sunday  October 30, 2011

Malachi 1:14-2:2, 8-10 Ps: 131   1 Thess 2:7b-9, 13  Matthew 23:1-12 

1. At the end of the first reading, the Prophet Malachi asks, “Have we not one father?”

 If you ask a mother or father whom they love most among their children, the inevitable answer is, “I love all my children equally.” However, Malachi’s question is not about God’s behaviour to us, but rather our relationship to one another. It should an equal love to all, because we are all equal in God’s sight. In our own families, we might be closer to one brother or sister but we love them all. “Blood runs thicker than water!”  Malachi’s question is echoed in the Gospel, when Jesus reminds us “You have one Father.”

 The teaching of the fatherhood of God is often declared as unique to the teaching of Jesus. However, the fatherhood of God has been alluded to in the Old Testament, but it is incidental and not central as it is in the teaching of Jesus.

2. At first sight both Malachi and Matthew 23 seems to be an indictment of us as priests, Bishops and even the pope. It seems to be an indictment of those who have responsibility. It is a warning to those who

• have the authority to shepherd and guide the people
• have the responsibility to teach the correct code of moral behaviour
• have the duty to teach by word and example
• have the mandate to keep the law/covenant and not compromise it.

But this also applies to Parents who are the first and best teachers of the faith to their children. It applies to Principals and teachers in our school. They are challenged to go beyond teaching the children merely to read and write, but also to form their moral character. It applies to civil officials, lawyers, doctors, coaches who are to protect the most vulnerable in our society.

3. The late, Karl Rahner, SJ said that our guides and shepherds are not angels sent from heaven. They people of flesh and blood with their qualities and weaknesses. They do good things, but they also fail. However there is one quality among those who have authority, which is non-negotiable. They cannot compromise on our values. They cannot have two standards of behaviour: one for the rich and one for the poor.

4. Jesus said, “Come to me for I am meek and humble of heart.” It is rather difficult to read the Gospel in light of this description Jesus makes of himself. Therefore it is important to see the Gospel in its historical context.

• The destruction of Jerusalem has taken place. The order in society is in shambles. The Scribes and Pharisees are trying to reassert their authority.
• The severity of the condemnation is more from the “re-editing” of Matthew rather than the actual words of Jesus.
• The diatribe is more against the Scribes and not again the entire body of the Pharisees. In fact according to Luke, Jesus and the Pharisees had an amicable relationship. Jesus saw them as men who sought to do good.

With this backdrop, the text is more understandable. The warnings still apply but the rough edge disappears.

5.  After all is said and done, there is still the difficulty with

• call no one your father
• you have only one teacher

These are more difficulty to explain in our Catholic church with its whole hierarchical structure. The lowest level of the totem pole is called “father”. How does one deal with titles like Monsignor, Your Grace, Your lordship, your Holiness?  These all came in with Charlemagne in the 8 century. However, in our civil society, we have Mayors, and Members of Parliament, and Prime Ministers and Presidents. They are all called Your Honour, even if we have no intention whatsoever of honouring them.

Priests and other members of the Hierarchy use this title with the realisation that they are sacramental sign of the presence of God our Father. If we use it as a personal distinction, then we deserve the full measure of the Gospel indictment.

I remember saying Mass one time for a gathering of people, and in the middle of the homily, this poor woman, the town drunk, came up the middle of the church, talking to herself. She climbed in over everybody, and took her place in the front seat. She began to interrupt some of my words of wisdom, and the eyes of everyone in the church were on her, and if looks could kill, she would have died on the spot. Thankfully, no one attempted to remove her, and she fell asleep.

I myself was holding my breath, hoping that she might be accepted as she was, because if I ever come across the body of Christ without the wounds, I know it is a phoney. And here was one of the wounds, and it would have been very wrong to be so religious and pious, that she was not welcome among us. Do you see what I mean by the wonderful way in which Jesus has put us all on the spot!

Sight

A fat, overweight Monk was sitting under a tree one day. An arrogant, young soldier walked by, saw him, and said: "You look like a pig!" The Monk looked up at the soldier and said: "And you look like God!" Surprised, the soldier asked him: "Why do you say that I look like God?" The Monk replied: "You see, we don't see what's outside us, we see what's inside and project it outwards. I sit here all day and think about God and when I look out, that's what I see. You, on the other hand, must be thinking about something else!"