08-27-2013, 09:22 AM
Scripture Reflections
27 August 2013, Tuesday, 21st Week, Ordinary Time
THE WOES OF INSINCERITY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 THESS 2:1-8; MT 23:23-26
The message of today’s scripture readings can be summarized in just one word: sincerity. How sincere we are with ourselves will determine how sincere we are with others. The lack of sincerity with ourselves not only deceives others but we ultimately deceive ourselves. By being insincere with ourselves, we hurt ourselves much more than we hurt others. A person who is not sincere with himself is not one with himself. If we are not integrated, we become divided within and this is where the real source of division begins. When a person is divided within himself, that inner division is then manifested in his division with others and with God. That is why Jesus pronounced them as woes to us. Why are they woes to us more than to others?
Firstly, when we are concerned with the trivials of the laws, it is but our way of escaping the reality of the situation. Many of us Catholics, for example, are more concerned about whether we attend Mass on Sundays, and that we make it before the gospel reading is over, or that we abstain from meat on Fridays, than whether we are practising justice and charity towards our fellow human beings. There are also those who are supposedly active in Church ministry, or are involved in works of charity, yet, they neglect their very own elderly, or are oblivious to those closest to them who need love, assistance and an understanding ear. We can save the whole world, but if we cannot even save those who are so near to us, then we have truly failed. In a word, what is the use of observing the details of the laws when we do not make ourselves more loving and just people? Instead, we might begin to think that we are so righteous when we are not. That is why it is a tragedy and a woe.
Secondly, when we are more concerned with the externals than the interior disposition, we know that we are not who we claim to be. We might be civil and polite to others, but deep within, we know that our motives are not sincere. Such insincerity cannot but make us hate ourselves. And to know that we have deceived others makes us even angrier with ourselves, because we know that we are merely putting up a show. And because we are concerned with externals, we become slaves to others. We have lost our inner and outer freedom. Whereas for a person who is true to himself, his internal disposition will manifest itself accordingly in the external behavior. His goodness will simply flow from his heart. He does not even need to think about how to be good. And because his goodness comes from within, his good works will be truly selfless and liberating.
Today, in the first reading, we have the example of St Paul. He is truly one of the most sincere men in the bible. Indeed, from his writings and his works, we can deduce that St Paul was not only true to himself, but he was truly a genuine person. He was not ashamed of his mistakes and his weaknesses, but he was ever conscious of God’s grace and blessings. In all his letters, we can feel that this man always spoke from the depths of his heart, in utter concern and love for his fellow human beings. He wrote to them in affective tones, “Like a mother feeding and looking after her own children, we felt so devoted and protective towards you, and had come to love you so much, that we were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives as well.” Truly, St Paul demonstrated his sincerity in love not merely in words but by his life; protecting the people of God through his many personal sacrifices and even at the cost of his own life.
He proved his sincerity not just by doing loving things for his people but especially in his trials and sufferings. He wrote, “We had, as you know, been given rough treatment and been grossly insulted at Philippi, and it was our God who gave us the courage to proclaim his Good News to you in the face of great opposition.” Sincerity in love at the end of the day is to be expressed not only in doing good, but in our willingness to suffer with and for the people we love; even to the extent of suffering in their place, like Jesus’ vicarious sacrifice on the cross. This is the crux of our sincerity and commitment in love.
Thirdly, St Paul reminds us that the hallmark of sincerity is thorough honesty in words, and especially in intention. In his letter to the Thessalonians regarding his purpose and motive for his visit, he wrote in no uncertain terms: “we have not taken to preaching because we are deluded, or immoral, or trying to deceive anyone; it was God who decided that we were fit to be entrusted with the Good News.” St Paul’s ministry was carried out selflessly and in good faith, believing that God had appointed him for the task of sharing the Good News. He was simply carrying out the work, because it was God who entrusted him with this office. For this reason, he said, “when we are speaking, we are not trying to please men but God, who can read our inmost thoughts”. In all things, his focus was simply to do God’s will, always remembering that he had been sent. In all his preaching and ministry, he came as an ambassador of Christ, never in his own capacity.
For the same reason too, he was not concerned with pleasing men but to do his work. He said, “You know very well, and we can swear if before God, that never at any time have our speeches been simply flattery, or a cover for trying to get money.” If he had no fear of men, it was because he spoke from the depths of his heart. He did not use any modern technique to impress his audience. Sincerity is not a matter of technique or making impressions, because sooner or later, people will discover the real us and how empty we are within. His purity of intention caused him to speak what was closest to his heart. It is said that when anything is spoken from the heart, it always touches people’s lives, because we all have the same heart that suffer, love, desire and feel, regardless whether we are professionals, of status, or simply an ordinary man.
Truly, if only we seek to bring about our own interior conversion first, rather than focus on externals and creating impressions, mesmerizing people with sweet words and profound thoughts, we would have changed more lives, as in the case of Blessed Mother Teresa. She met great leaders on earth and with great confidence, not because she was highly educated or gave eloquent speeches, but in her sincerity she also spoke from the depths of her heart. The consequence is that she changed lives and brought many people to tears and conversion. Thus, we can apply the words of St Paul to her, “You know yourselves, my brothers, that our visit to you has not proved ineffectual.”
Truly, sincere people never have to use their authority or position to get things done. Their moral authority is rooted in their sincerity and purity of heart. That was the case of St Paul when he said, “nor have we ever looked for any special honour from men, either from you or anybody else, when we could have imposed ourselves on you with full weight, as apostles of Christ.” The people knew that St Paul never used or exercised his office of apostleship for his self-interests. He was not out to seek glory from God but for the sake of giving glory to God. Accordingly, in spite of his success in ministry and his prominent position in the early Church, he remained unassuming towards all, regardless of their position and office. Again he wrote, “Instead, we were unassuming.”
What is the secret of St Paul’s purity of intention in all that he said and did? It was his love for the Lord. He only wanted to please God. He knew that God sees all things, as the Psalmist declares: “O Lord, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know the whole of it. Behind me and before, you hem me in and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too lofty for me to attain. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.” Indeed, to seek to please God alone is nothing else but to be true to Him alone; to be true to self, doing all things for Him. Such a person is truly liberated and is at peace within himself. Only a person who is truly sincere with God can be sincere with self and can find lasting happiness. This accounts for why St Paul was such an authentic person and unafraid of anyone, not even his enemies. He knew that God would stand by him always.
27 August 2013, Tuesday, 21st Week, Ordinary Time
THE WOES OF INSINCERITY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 THESS 2:1-8; MT 23:23-26
The message of today’s scripture readings can be summarized in just one word: sincerity. How sincere we are with ourselves will determine how sincere we are with others. The lack of sincerity with ourselves not only deceives others but we ultimately deceive ourselves. By being insincere with ourselves, we hurt ourselves much more than we hurt others. A person who is not sincere with himself is not one with himself. If we are not integrated, we become divided within and this is where the real source of division begins. When a person is divided within himself, that inner division is then manifested in his division with others and with God. That is why Jesus pronounced them as woes to us. Why are they woes to us more than to others?
Firstly, when we are concerned with the trivials of the laws, it is but our way of escaping the reality of the situation. Many of us Catholics, for example, are more concerned about whether we attend Mass on Sundays, and that we make it before the gospel reading is over, or that we abstain from meat on Fridays, than whether we are practising justice and charity towards our fellow human beings. There are also those who are supposedly active in Church ministry, or are involved in works of charity, yet, they neglect their very own elderly, or are oblivious to those closest to them who need love, assistance and an understanding ear. We can save the whole world, but if we cannot even save those who are so near to us, then we have truly failed. In a word, what is the use of observing the details of the laws when we do not make ourselves more loving and just people? Instead, we might begin to think that we are so righteous when we are not. That is why it is a tragedy and a woe.
Secondly, when we are more concerned with the externals than the interior disposition, we know that we are not who we claim to be. We might be civil and polite to others, but deep within, we know that our motives are not sincere. Such insincerity cannot but make us hate ourselves. And to know that we have deceived others makes us even angrier with ourselves, because we know that we are merely putting up a show. And because we are concerned with externals, we become slaves to others. We have lost our inner and outer freedom. Whereas for a person who is true to himself, his internal disposition will manifest itself accordingly in the external behavior. His goodness will simply flow from his heart. He does not even need to think about how to be good. And because his goodness comes from within, his good works will be truly selfless and liberating.
Today, in the first reading, we have the example of St Paul. He is truly one of the most sincere men in the bible. Indeed, from his writings and his works, we can deduce that St Paul was not only true to himself, but he was truly a genuine person. He was not ashamed of his mistakes and his weaknesses, but he was ever conscious of God’s grace and blessings. In all his letters, we can feel that this man always spoke from the depths of his heart, in utter concern and love for his fellow human beings. He wrote to them in affective tones, “Like a mother feeding and looking after her own children, we felt so devoted and protective towards you, and had come to love you so much, that we were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives as well.” Truly, St Paul demonstrated his sincerity in love not merely in words but by his life; protecting the people of God through his many personal sacrifices and even at the cost of his own life.
He proved his sincerity not just by doing loving things for his people but especially in his trials and sufferings. He wrote, “We had, as you know, been given rough treatment and been grossly insulted at Philippi, and it was our God who gave us the courage to proclaim his Good News to you in the face of great opposition.” Sincerity in love at the end of the day is to be expressed not only in doing good, but in our willingness to suffer with and for the people we love; even to the extent of suffering in their place, like Jesus’ vicarious sacrifice on the cross. This is the crux of our sincerity and commitment in love.
Thirdly, St Paul reminds us that the hallmark of sincerity is thorough honesty in words, and especially in intention. In his letter to the Thessalonians regarding his purpose and motive for his visit, he wrote in no uncertain terms: “we have not taken to preaching because we are deluded, or immoral, or trying to deceive anyone; it was God who decided that we were fit to be entrusted with the Good News.” St Paul’s ministry was carried out selflessly and in good faith, believing that God had appointed him for the task of sharing the Good News. He was simply carrying out the work, because it was God who entrusted him with this office. For this reason, he said, “when we are speaking, we are not trying to please men but God, who can read our inmost thoughts”. In all things, his focus was simply to do God’s will, always remembering that he had been sent. In all his preaching and ministry, he came as an ambassador of Christ, never in his own capacity.
For the same reason too, he was not concerned with pleasing men but to do his work. He said, “You know very well, and we can swear if before God, that never at any time have our speeches been simply flattery, or a cover for trying to get money.” If he had no fear of men, it was because he spoke from the depths of his heart. He did not use any modern technique to impress his audience. Sincerity is not a matter of technique or making impressions, because sooner or later, people will discover the real us and how empty we are within. His purity of intention caused him to speak what was closest to his heart. It is said that when anything is spoken from the heart, it always touches people’s lives, because we all have the same heart that suffer, love, desire and feel, regardless whether we are professionals, of status, or simply an ordinary man.
Truly, if only we seek to bring about our own interior conversion first, rather than focus on externals and creating impressions, mesmerizing people with sweet words and profound thoughts, we would have changed more lives, as in the case of Blessed Mother Teresa. She met great leaders on earth and with great confidence, not because she was highly educated or gave eloquent speeches, but in her sincerity she also spoke from the depths of her heart. The consequence is that she changed lives and brought many people to tears and conversion. Thus, we can apply the words of St Paul to her, “You know yourselves, my brothers, that our visit to you has not proved ineffectual.”
Truly, sincere people never have to use their authority or position to get things done. Their moral authority is rooted in their sincerity and purity of heart. That was the case of St Paul when he said, “nor have we ever looked for any special honour from men, either from you or anybody else, when we could have imposed ourselves on you with full weight, as apostles of Christ.” The people knew that St Paul never used or exercised his office of apostleship for his self-interests. He was not out to seek glory from God but for the sake of giving glory to God. Accordingly, in spite of his success in ministry and his prominent position in the early Church, he remained unassuming towards all, regardless of their position and office. Again he wrote, “Instead, we were unassuming.”
What is the secret of St Paul’s purity of intention in all that he said and did? It was his love for the Lord. He only wanted to please God. He knew that God sees all things, as the Psalmist declares: “O Lord, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know the whole of it. Behind me and before, you hem me in and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too lofty for me to attain. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.” Indeed, to seek to please God alone is nothing else but to be true to Him alone; to be true to self, doing all things for Him. Such a person is truly liberated and is at peace within himself. Only a person who is truly sincere with God can be sincere with self and can find lasting happiness. This accounts for why St Paul was such an authentic person and unafraid of anyone, not even his enemies. He knew that God would stand by him always.