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Gospel: Matthew 23: 1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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It’s been said, “The root of all sin is pride.” Pride is the ability to see ourselves as better, or more important, than another person. This is what Jesus is addressing in today’s Gospel.
Do not be like the scribes and Pharisees, he says, who embellish their wardrobes with lengthy tassels, love seats of honor, seek important titles, and pray loudly in the Temple, all to be noticed – and praised – by others.
“They have received their reward,” he says.
Scholars say this is why Matthew places the command on Christ’s lips for his disciples to accept no title at all, other than brother or sister. “Do not be called, Rabbi…Master…or Father,” he says.
(The irony is not lost on me that this is precisely what people have called me for a quarter of my life, Father).
But Jesus’ reasoning was to eliminate the human tendency – even amongst the religious and ordained ministers of the Church – to see oneself as better or more important than another.
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When we survey the landscape of our Church, our nation, and, indeed, our world at large, we can still see this tendency to classify or chunk groups of people into the category of either worthy or worth-less.
Some are praised because they are wealthy, successful, and influential, while others are scorned because they are poor… or unwelcome.
But, to quote Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice, all human beings have the right to cry out:
“Are we not fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means as you? … If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? We are like you and the rest.”
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This is what Christ envisioned for his Church and the world at large, for men and women – especially people of faith – to see each other as equals.
In this light, do call me Rabbi, Master, or Father.
Call me brother.
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Image credits: (1) brothernailtechcosmetics.com (2) Ernst Zimmerman, Christ and the Pharisees (3) Walking With Purpose, Pinterest