“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men” (Mt 23: 13).

Context, in any reading of the Gospels, or any scriptural text, is important, but certainly with today’s reading. Our country is already experiencing enough division, polarization, and racial unrest as it is. These comments have too often been used to fuel anti-Semitic rhetoric. We need to remember that Jesus is Jewish. “The criticisms are leveled with those of power and/or influence as in the prophetic denunciations, not against the whole people of Israel. The aberrations denounced by Jesus were also denounced by other Jewish teachers in the rabbinic tradition. The goal of the denunciations is to highlight the error, to preserve others from it, and perhaps to bring those who err to the way of righteousness” (Harrington, 327).

Those who would use these verses to denounce people of the Jewish faith tradition, just for being Jewish, would be acting in the same way as those to whom Jesus was convicting. Jesus was speaking to the specific actions of specific leaders he had encountered who were using their power and influence for their own means and agendas. The hypocritical behavior that Jesus brought to light unfortunately still exists in our civil and religious leadership, though not all. It is why so many people are disillusioned with our religious and civic institutions.

We seek truth and authenticity because these two qualities are foundational for building trust and relationships. St. Augustine, whose feast we celebrate today, wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and we are restless until we rest in you.” He experienced a life without God and with him, and regretted the days he had resisted his invitation. It is unfortunate how many today have not come to embrace the words of Augustine, because of their experiences with those, who in the name of Christ, have “locked the kingdom of heaven” before them.

It is very easy to point fingers at others and how hypocritical they are, but Jesus is also speaking directly to each one of us. How have we erred? In what areas of our life have we allowed past hurts and wounds, anxieties and fears, prejudicial and judgmental attitudes, to limit us from living a more authentic life aligned with the teachings of Jesus. We all fall short in living the “Way, the Truth, and the Life” (cf Jn 14:6), but the good news is that when we have the humility to be contrite, to recognize and to be sorry for the hurt we have caused, to admit when we have been wrong, we have a loving Father with arms wide open to embrace us, comfort, and heal us.

May we speak up, out, and against any act that diminishes or denounces the dignity of another, while at the same time, resisting the temptation to do so in a way that diminishes those who inflict division and hate. Jesus invites us to convict, yes, as he and the long line of prophets have done, with the intent of winning back our brother or our sister, with the intent of making a commitment to contrition and reconciliation.

Link for the Mass readings of the day:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082817.cfm

Harrington, S.J., Daniel J. “The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 1.” In Sacra Pagina, edited by Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2007.