TITLES AND TASSELS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 20th Saturday in Ordinary Time is, “Titles and Tassels.”

With today’s gospel reading we move into a very tough chapter of the gospel of Matthew – Chapter 23 - when Jesus challenges the Pharisees and the scribes big time – especially because of their externalism.

They were off titles and tassels. They were off on self worship – rather than being in on God.

Being a priest now for 45 years, I’ve learned the awful truth of what Jesus learned in his 20’s or earlier – people can get trapped in the iddy biddy game – and be in the game for the title and the tassels, the uniform, the vestments and the collar – the outside of the chalice (1) – the words – the externals.

Prayer is not the words, the number of prayers, the babble – as Jesus called rambling on and on prayer – but the connection, the communion, the being with Our Father – the listening – the quiet in one’s inner room – or those escapes to the mountains and gardens and our hidden places of prayer.

As the Psalm puts it: “Be still and know that I am your God.” (2)
As James puts it in his Letter, “Nobody must imagine that he is religious while he still goes on deceiving himself and not keeping control over his tongue; anyone who does this has the wrong idea of religion. Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.” (3)

TODAY’S READINGS

Ezekiel in today’s first reading – 43:1-7ab, is saying the temple is the place to be overwhelmed with God – God’s presence – God’s glory. The scribes and the Pharisees saw the temple as the place to be seen – to be noticed.

In today’s psalm – Psalm 85, we have the essence of religion – the Lord.

Religion as the Psalmist sings is about kindness and truth meeting inside me – about having justice and peace kissing. Now that’s a balanced spiritual outlook – and life.

In today’s gospel – Matthew 23:1-12 – Jesus is saying that it’s about serving one another – rather than wanting others to see us as the center of attraction.

Jesus stresses humility. The Pharisees and the scribes were dressed and drenched in pride.

The title of my homily is, “Titles and Tassels.”

JESUS KEEPS US HUMBLE

Jesus kills us humble – that is if we don’t crucify him this time by silence and keeping him inside a closed Bible or a locked tabernacle.

The first time around people went after Jesus and pushed him with a cross to Calvary. The second time people simply ignore him.

We’re here to adore him in the Trinity.

So today Jesus is saying, “Don’t be in this for titles or tassels.”

Just as the old saying, “The habit doesn’t make the monk,” so too the title doesn’t make the doctor or the lawyer, rabbi or priest. The title just helps us to find out where their office is.

The doctor, the lawyer, the rabbi is as good as the doctor or the lawyer or rabbi or priest is.

HUMILITY

Today’s gospel ends with the message of humility. We read,

The greatest among you must be your servant.Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

CONCLUSION

In case my homily was all title and words with tassels, let me close with an old story I heard somewhere along the line.

A bishop came to Rome from his diocese and his country to do some business at some Vatican Office.

He gets there and the line is immensely long. He gets on line and goes crazy. He hasn’t had to wait on line for years.

Finally frustrated he walks around a bunch of people and goes to the front of the line where there is a guy in a suit sitting at a desk – who signals to people to come forward. He says, “Look I’m a bishop and I’m here to do some business. Can you let me get ahead of all these people.”
The guy at the desk says, “No. But relax bishop, I’m an archbishop.”



NOTES


(1) Luke 11:39


(2) Psalm 46:1-10


(3) James 1: 26-27