Aug 26, 2006 - Wednesday Meditation (Two-Faced Believer)

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Aug 26, 2006 - Wednesday Meditation (Two-Faced Believer)

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Written by Bobot Apit

Tuesday, 25 August 2009 03:58

Is Jesus also disappointed in us? We have been blessed in so many ways but we still can become easily deceitful and two-faced.

Wednesday of the 21st Week of Ordinary Time
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
Psalm 139:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab

M atthew 23:27-32 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like white washed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. (28) So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. (29) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, (30) saying, `If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' (31) Thus you witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. (32) Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.

* Meditation by Paul Mahowald, S.J.

T he gospel today continues with the last two “woe’s” of the seven listed in Matthew’s chapter 23. Yesterday the gospel listed two others and Monday would have been three more but were replaced by the feast of St. Bartholomew.

Jesus was angry physically when he drove the money changers out of the temple. But here Jesus is angry verbally at the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. What could be clearer than saying that they were like “white-washed tombs?” On the outside they appear righteous, i.e., law-abiding, but inside they are full of hypocrisy and evil doing.

Jesus clearly is disappointed in them. We all know people like that, don’t we? The economy and its downturn last autumn was because of unbelievable levels of greed and duplicity. Then they gift themselves with “golden parachutes” as they leave behind a hopeless and failing institution. They aren’t much different in their attitude than the “patent medicine salesmen” of the early 20th century or the door-to-door “bible salesmen” of the depression era. (Remember the movie with Tatum and Ryan O’Neil.)

Is Jesus also disappointed in us? We have been blessed in so many ways but we still can become easily deceitful and two-faced. Consider how easy it is for us to use “white lies” to make ourselves look better! Consider how envious we can be when someone we know excels in one way or another. Our selfishness knows no bounds.

We judge others and criticize them rashly without knowing why they act the way they do. We seem to find no personal offense when we are guilty of road rage and judge someone else’s behavior. We are prejudiced in how we treat others who do not seem to “belong” in our midst. Ah, the greed and covetousness we have in our hearts when we always want more and more even though we have enough and don’t need anymore.

When Jesus identified the scribes and Pharisees as frauds and hypocrites in this text today we also need to reflect on our own inner attitudes and pray for God’s help to be more honest and less like “white-washed tombs.”

Our inner attitude and our prayer should be inspired by today’s psalm. “Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence where can I flee. If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.” (Ps 139: 7-8)

* Supplementary Reading
TRuTH oR HoAX

Do you believe this? – John 11:26

A wealthy businessman posted signs all over town: “If any man who owed debts would come to my office on this date between 9 a.m. and 12 noon, I will pay his debts.” For the townsfolk, it seemed too good to be true. They suspected that there had to be a catch somewhere. When the day came, the businessman sat in his office for an hour but no one came. At 11, there was a man walking to and fro outside his office. Later, he opened the door and asked, “Is it true that you will pay any man’s debt?”

“That’s right,” the businessman replied. “Are you in debt?” The man nodded. After reviewing the man’s document of indebtedness, the businessman issued a check covering the whole amount of the debt. Before noon, two other men came and had their debts paid. By the time the other townsfolk heard of the news, there was no more time left.

When Jesus told Martha that Lazarus would rise, she thought that Jesus was referring to the resurrection on the last day. It was probably unthinkable for her that a dead person could be raised back to life. But she got more than she bargained for.

Jesus is the Giver of Life and nothing is impossible to Him. Just believe. --- Judith Concepcion

Editor’s Note: Ms. Judith Concepcion's article is reprinted from one of the Shepherd's Voice Publications, as published originally in the www.KerygmaFamily.com

R EFLECTION

Jesus has power over life and death. As believers, we have this assurance: “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). Do you believe?

Lord, I believe that You are the Creator of life and You are life itself. In You is the fullness of life.

GOD BLESS US ALL!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.

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