Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 131:1, 2, 3
Gospel, Matthew 23:1-12
Reading 2, First Thessalonians 2:7-9, 13
Truly, that is how Jesus wants us to call one another for, as the Gospel puts it, we have one teacher and a master, and we all are brothers and sisters. Let me, therefore, greet you once more, “My dear sisters and brothers!”
While the 1st reading of today suggests that the chiefs at the time of the prophet Malachi were accountable for leading people astray because of their scandalous deeds, the Gospel test of the day declares that the religious leaders at the time of Jesus were found to lead people away from God rather than to God. The ‘Moses’ seat’ in the gospel, therefore, is a metaphorical expression that Jesus uses to indicate the teaching and administrative authority of the synagogue leadership held by Scribes and Pharisees who were known for their religious knowledge and outward piety. Against this background, Jesus addresses his disciples and the crowds revealing a tripartite flaw in their leadership: (a) they preach but do not practice; (b) they burden others but do not lift a finger to help them carry it; and (c) they act but for wrong reasons – status, honor, pride, and to impress others.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in his Spiritual Exercises, explains the Matthaean Jesus in his meditation on the Two Standards: The Standard of the Devil (or of the world) and the Standard of Christ (or of the Cross). While those who serve under the banner of the Devil are lured into a vicious cycle of riches, honors, and hubris, leading to all vices and eventual demise, those serving under the banner of Christ are motivated by poverty (both spiritual and material), underappreciation (and opprobrium), and humility—the door to all virtues.
Put together, today’s readings serve as a timeless warning especially to those in positions of authority and leadership. Whether within the Church which is currently on its synodal journey or in the wider world which is increasingly plagued with wars of all sorts, the invitation is to embrace a different kind of leadership, a true greatness measured by the depth of one’s humility and the sincerity of one’s service to others. The humility spoken here is not about thinking less of oneself. Rather it is about thinking of oneself less so that one has more room to become aware of the needs of others. The service, on the other hand, is the way to live our lives as an acknowledgment of the ultimate authority and worth of life that comes from our one and only teacher and the master – Almighty God. Therefore, the greatest among us, as Jesus says, must be everybody’s servant. Therefore, let us ask ourselves,
To what extent do I consider my life-work and that of others as the greatest honor and privilege received from God?
What incongruences do I find today between my life-work and the Standards of Christ?
What resolutions do I take today to live my life-work in such a way that I say what I believe and do what I say?
May we strive hard to exemplify servant leadership in all we say and do in our life-work as a living testament to Christ’s transformative teaching!
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