THE PHARISEE TRAP

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 2^nd Tuesday of Lent is, “The Pharisee Trap.”

Since today’s gospel has Jesus giving a loud warning to the Pharisees of his day, I thought I’d better take a good look at my own life.

When it comes to religion, any religion, there is always  the Pharisee Trap.

It’s more dangerous, the closer you get to the front of the church or temple or synagogue or mosque - or the higher one is above people. It’s no accident the phrase is: looking down on people.

Hey world, look at me - up here - above you.

As we heard in today’s first reading from Isaiah, widows and orphans are more important than the leaders of the community.

Yet we need readers and Eucharistic ministers - ushers as well as priests.

Smart Catholics are back seat Catholics. 

That’s not just a clever comment. Jesus said it first in the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Notice in that parable, the one who says he’s the “sinner” is in the back of the temple. [Cf. Luke 18: 9-14.]

In my opinion - and I say this with hesitation and great caution - the only benefits that happened in the child abuse cases with priests is it hopefully made parents and guardians keep a much better eye on their kids and possible predators. That’s first and foremost. Secondly,  it gave priests a bit more chance for humility.  We were dropped down many a peg - to the bottom by some.

A LIST OF POSSIBLE PHARISEE’S SINS

I read somewhere that jealousy is a priest’s sin. I don’t know if that’s true. I’ve wondered about that comment. Hearing the word “priest” in the comment - I would obviously notice  it - and keep my eye on it.  I would suspect  jealousy would show up in church and temple. People don’t want to lose what they have: prestige, power, recognition, etc. etc. etc.

So too envy. Envy is wanting what we don’t have.  Jealously is wanting to hold onto what we have.

Clergy - but I suspect everyone more or less has these  two temptations. We like the spotlight and we don’t want to lose it - or we want it. 

To be honest, the older one gets, the less one wants up front recognition. Been there; done that.

Besides jealousy and envy, Pharisees can be caught up in various other sins.

So another sin is misuse of power - when it comes to being up front in religion.

Religious leaders can put heavy burdens on others as we heard in today’s gospel - Matthew 23: 1-12 - and little on themselves.

Pharisees tend to not practice what they preach.  That’s why ethical breaches when it comes to sex and money appear in newspapers quite loud if the culprit is a priest, rabbi or minister.

Pharisees find it  easier not to listen if one is in power.

Power also goes to one’s head.  Everyone knows and quotes the British politician Lord Acton’s comment: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” 

Most people - at least I do - tend to leave out his next comment: "Great men are almost always bad men." How's that for a pretty tough generalization.

Laziness is one more sin of the clergy.

Take the example of preaching. It’s difficult to keep up with one’s reading.  It takes time and work and research to prepare homilies - and not give left overs or fast food precooked homilies from someone else, etc. etc. etc.  Sermons have to come from within. The preacher must do with what Isaiah says in today’s first reading: “Hear the word of the Lord.”  That means praying. I know I don’t do enough of that when preparing a homily.

Hypocrisy - acting - faking it - is also a sin of those who are up front when it comes to religion. The sanctuary can become a stage. To be honest, it helps to know the lines, because some days as priest can be a tough day and one sort of acts the part - rather than being the part. Or somedays I run out of gas - but the show must go on.

CONCLUSION

As I’m sure you just noticed - much of this was about being a priest.

Don’t throw stones - any or all of us - can get trapped in the Pharisee Trap.



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Painting on top: James Tissot, Woe Unto You, scribes and Pharisees, Brooklyn Museum.