Wednesday, August 28, 2002
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: 2 Thes 3:6-10, 16-18
Gospel:
Mt 23:27-32
Jesus said, "Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs beautiful in appearance, but
inside there are only dead bones and uncleanness. In the same way you
appear as religious to others, but you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness
within.
Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build
tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. You
say: Had we lived in the time of our ancestors, we would not have joined
them in the blood of prophets. So, you yourselves confess to be kins of
those who murdered the prophets. And now, finish off what your ancestors
began!"
Commentary
One of the most famous books of Erich Fromm is about freedom. Freedom implies to assume risks but many people prefer to be secured even if that means to renounce freedom. The pharisees in the time of Jesus were not bad people. But they were afraid of freedom. They preferred to look for security. How could they attain salvation? Very simple, implementing even the last letter of the law. However, they forgot that it is the heart that has to be converted. They stayed in the externals. Their hearts kept on being impure, Jesus offers a new way of encountering God: from responsible freedom and truth. It is more risky but it is the only possible way.