Scripture:
Ezekiel 18:21-28
Matthew 5:20-26
Reflection:
In recent weeks, we’ve encountered Jesus’s sharp critique of hypocrisy, mainly directed at the religious leaders of his time. In modern English, he called them phonies, lip-servers and imposters. This naturally prompts a difficult question: How susceptible to hypocrisy are we, ourselves? It’s a question worth wrestling with because the answer is often “darn right susceptible.”
Our faith provides us with a powerful moral compass, a guide. We think of the Ten Commandments, which are foundational principles. However, the recent Gospel readings from Matthew go deeper, refining that compass with challenges that touch upon the honest truth of our actions – from basic laws to acts of mercy, rites, and rituals.
Let’s return to the heart of hypocrisy. It’s easy to ask, ‘Do we only help people experiencing poverty when others are watching? Do we repay loans merely to maintain a good credit score?’ Our integrity can sometimes be conditional, limited by a desire for approval or self-aggrandizement. We all have moments where our actions don’t perfectly align with our so-called beliefs.
In our contemporary Western society, where secularization has significantly impacted religious institutions, the public discourse on morality can get awfully thin. While honesty may earn widespread criticism, it underscores the difficulty of living authentically in a world that often bows to amoral freedom over any genuine moral compass.
Consider the commandment, ‘Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.’ Jesus means more than simple lies. In our current climate, we see the proliferation of fact-less statements and the unjust portrayal of historical figures, often justified by a distorted sense of ‘the greater good.’ We must ask ourselves, what does such deliberate deception mean? What impact does it have on our conscience, never mind our souls?
Similarly, ‘Thou shalt not steal’ extends far beyond swiping cash from a wallet. What about broken promises, unpaid pledges, or the opportunistic use of bankruptcy laws?
We often fall short. We all grapple with the tension between our ideals and our actions. Let’s consider how we can cultivate greater authenticity and integrity. How can we move from simply performing religious acts to genuinely embodying the values we profess? How can we gear our actions to reflect the light of our faith truly? How, indeed, can we save our souls?
Jack Dermody is president of Share Our Gifts, Inc., a proactive group founded by Passionist Alumni dedicated to serving the poor and suffering. He is also editor of CrossRoads, the newsletter for the Passionist Alumni Association. He lives in Glendale, Arizona.