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Gospel: Matthew 23:27-32
Jesus said,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
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.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the memorials of the righteous,
and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors,
we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’
Thus you bear witness against yourselves
that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets;
now fill up what your ancestors measured out!”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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I’m sure many of us remember the Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast.
One of the main characters, Gaston, seemed to have everything a person could want – good looks, lots of money, a great singing voice, and plenty of human praise.
All the girls in town thought he was dreamy… Except Belle, the one girl he wanted.
Belle saw right through Gaston’s appearance. Although he was attractive on the outside, he was ugly within. He was self-centered and arrogant.
And so, she was unimpressed.
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Jesus says something similar about the scribes and the Pharisees.
Like Gaston, they wear nice garments, they’re smart, many of them are rich, and they love to be recognized.
But Jesus sees through their appearance. Though attractive on the outside, they’re corrupt within, much like “whitewashed tombs.”
“All of their works are performed to be seen,” he says. They’re not really interested in God.
They’re only out to feed their ego.
If nice religious garments, knowledge of the Law, and public acts of penance don’t impress Jesus, then what will?
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“The greatest among you must be your servant,” he says.
That person is beautiful and praiseworthy in God’s eyes: the humble; the lowly; the kind; the generous.
So, in what ways can we be servants of others today?
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Image credits: (1) AZ Quotes, Martin Luther King, Jr. (2) Gaston LeGume, Beauty and the Beast (3) Cultural Hall