A reading from the prophet Isaiah (1:10, 16-20)
Hear what the Lord says, you rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah.
Wash, make yourselves clean,
take your wrong-doing out of my sight.
Cease doing evil, learn to do good,
search for justice, discipline the violent,
be just to the orphan, plead for the widow.
Come, let us talk this over,’ says the Lord.
‘Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
If you are willing and listen,
you shall eat the good things of the earth.
But if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be devoured by the sword,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’
The prophet begins his stern address in this opening chapter of the book of Isaiah by likening the people to the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18-19), who merited destruction because of their sin. A string of imperatives urges Israel to change. The prophet begins with ‘wash’, ‘make yourselves clean’, ‘take your wrong-doing out of my sight’. The specific crimes of Israel involve injustice, especially to the orphan and the widow, who are so vulnerable. But change is possible, as from red to white, bringing a new start of holiness, provided that Israel is ‘willing’ and ‘listens’. Israel is free to follow the word of God through the prophet, or to ‘refuse’ and ‘rebel’.
Psalm 50 (49) in a similar fashion accuses Israel of despising the Law of the Lord and disregarding his words. Change, however, is possible.
A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew (23:1-12)
Then addressing the crowds and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do and observe everything that they tell you; but do not do what they do, since they do not practise what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they do not lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done to be seen by others, for they make their headbands broader and their tassels longer. They love the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the market squares and to be addressed by people as Rabbi. ‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one Master, and you are all brothers and sisters. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. Anyone who raises himself up will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be raised up.’
It is easy to concentrate on the supposed faults of others. The first half of this gospel passage points to the behaviour of the scribes and Pharisees, religious experts, who just like those of today are tempted to take pride in their status and importance. They are determined to be seen and to be admired by the people. But the second half of this passage is for all. There is a focus on the one ‘Master’, the one ‘Father’ and the one ‘Teacher’. There is no place in Christianity for superior pride. Jesus encourages humility and service, for ‘the greatest among you will be your servant’. These later words of the gospel passage invite us to change.
Why is status so important for some religious people?
For the grace to see the greatness of humble service, we pray