AUTHENTICITY

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Second Tuesday in Lent is, “Authenticity.”

Now that’s a difficult characteristic to have.

Authentic means the real deal – genuine. What you’re see is what you get. You can trust the label. It’s not counterfeit.

JESUS WAS OFF ON AUTHENTICITY

Authentic comes from a Greek word, "AUTHENIKOS". We find the roots of the word used in the Gospel of John in a few places - for example when Jesus talks about true or genuine worship.[Cf. John 4:23 .]  

If we grasp the gut meaning of the English word "authentic" - if we know it means not being being two faced - then we know this is definitely a theme Jesus was off on.

We know that his prime challenge were the Pharisees. They were externalists. They were in it for the show. They spent their lives examining other people’s consciences – and avoided the within.

Jesus described them as beautiful cemeteries – nice green grass on top – with nice white tomb stones on top of that -  but underneath filled with death.

We heard that again loud and clear in today’s gospel – from Matthew.

EULOGY AND  EVERYDAY CONVERSATIONS

I don’t remember ever hearing someone described as authentic in their eulogy. In fact I don’t remember ever describing someone as authentic. I might have used the word “honest” or “trustworthy” or “transparent” -  but I don’t remember using that word, “authentic” – but it bounced into my mind as I read and re-read today’s gospel.  Today’s gospel - Matthew 23: 1-12 - is near the end of his gospel - before we get to Jesus’ arrest.  We’re getting to motive for the crucifixion here.

I remember hearing in eulogies the following: “I never heard her or him saying something bad about another person.”

I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear that about someone who has died, I get the thought, maybe I should go for that as well. But I don't. I must have realized how difficult that would be – so I never made that commitment in life.

Never in a eulogy, but in a conversation, I’ve heard someone describe someone else as a Phony.

I don’t remember ever describing someone that way.

But I have thought about others behind their backs – and sometimes digs come up out of my grave – describing someone as being lazy, selfish, a Type A driver when driving, doesn’t seem to listen, but keeps cutting people off.... I described people those ways at times.

Afterwards - after  pondering upon it, I realized that’s being a Pharisee myself. Ugh. Bless me Father for I have sinned.

CONCLUSION

So I better leave digs and diggings into others lives to Jesus – and stay out of people’s graves – and death – and decaying inner stuff – and deal with my own stuff – and ask Jesus to come to me as he came to Mary M that Easter Sunday morning – or come to me as he came to Lazarus’ tomb and get me out of death and into Resurrection and new life – each morning – and pray and help me to be authentic this day and each day. Amen.