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

Context, in 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. 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 2007, 327).

Those who would use these verses to denounce people of the Jewish faith tradition and for being ethnically Jewish, would be acting in the same way as those for whom Jesus was convicting. Jesus spoke to 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. It is why so many people are disillusioned with our religious and civic institutions and leaders.

We seek truth, authenticity, and transparency because these qualities are foundational for building trust and relationships. St. Augustine, whose feast we celebrate this coming Wednesday, wrote in his Introduction to his Confessions, “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. He regretted the days he had resisted God’s 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 easy to point fingers at others and how hypocritical they are, but Jesus is also speaking directly to each one of us. How and where have we erred and been hypocritical? In what areas of our lives 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 Jesus’ life and teachings? 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, comfort, lead us to reconciliation, and offer us forgiveness and healing.

When we allow Jesus to show us our faults, sins, and shortsightedness, confess them, and practice penance, he will forgive and transform our lives. We will then have more credibility when we speak up, out, and against any act that diminishes or denounces the dignity of another. While at the same time we need to resist the temptation to do so in a way that diminishes those who inflict division and hate.  Jesus invites us to convict others and hold them accountable as he and the prophets did, while at the same time:

We need to be careful that when we convict we don’t condemn, we hold ourselves accountable as we convict others with the intent of winning back our brother or our sister. Our goal is not to humiliate, degrade, and/or shame, but to lead them to a place of contrition and reconciliation, such that we all will strive to be people of integrity, transparency, and holiness. By doing so, we will not lock the doors of heaven with our hypocrisy but will open them with the keys of our authenticity, faith, humility, and the love that Jesus has given us.

Photo: View above St. Peter Catholic Church, as I was getting ready to head home after JoAnn’s funeral Mass, internment, and reception.

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, August 26, 2024

Harrington, S.J., Daniel J. The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 1, in Sacra Pagina, Ed. Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2007.