In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew Chapter 23, Jesus continues addressing the multitudes and his disciples. The graphic language should give us all pause for serious reflection, he pronounces an extremely stern rebuke of the Pharisees and scribes focused on their hypocrisy. In so doing, he leads us to a challenging examination of conscience – the chance to examine our interior disposition and the degree to which it matches our exterior behavior.
You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.
Hypocrisy
The Catholic Encyclopedia defines hypocrisy as “the pretension to qualities which one does not possess, or, … the putting forward of a false appearance of virtue or religion . . . there is discordance between what a man has in his mind and the simultaneous manifestation of himself. (Catholic Answers Live, citing Joseph Delay, Catholic Encyclopedia). Perhaps in public or family life we exhibit pride that is intended to make others assume virtuous perfection, or pronounce judgment sanctimoniously about others, or judge others even interiorly based on standards we ourselves cannot live up to.
Jesus goes so far as to call out hypocrisy as the cause of all the evils of the Pharisees and scribes, the origin of their ruin, and the reason for their lack of faith. (St. John Chrysostom, writing in the 5th century). St. John continues the graphic imagery in reminding Christians what an especially dangerous path this is for we who should know better:
Sepulcher
You have been counted worthy to become temples of God. But you have instead suddenly become more like sepulchers, having the same sort of smell. This is dreadful. It is extreme wretchedness that one in whom Christ dwells and in whom the Holy Spirit has worked such great works should turn out to be a sepulcher, a place for death. What wretchedness is this? What mourning and lamentation does this call for! The members of the body of Christ have become a tomb of uncleanness?
Remember your sonship and how you were born. Consider of what things you have been counted worthy. Recall what sort of garment you received in baptism. You were intended to be a temple without fault, beautiful, not adorned with gold or pearls but with the spirit that is more precious than these.
Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.
