Tuesday - March 02, 2021
TODAY'S READINGS
March 2, 2021
Tuesday
of the Second Week of Lent
Lectionary: 231
Hear the word of the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!
Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.
Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!
Responsorial Psalm 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23
R.
(23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
Verse before the Gospel Ez 18:31
R. Glory and praise to you O Christ.
Cast away from you
all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD,
and make for
yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
R. Glory and praise to you O Christ..
Gospel Mt 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 Humility of Equality
Today's Gospel passage is easily misinterpreted if we take it literally. It's an example of why it's necessary to look beyond our understanding of the words of scripture into the heart of Jesus.
Jesus is not saying that it's wrong to call your dad or a priest "father", nor he is saying that it's a sin to be labeled as a teacher. Take a look at the bigger picture: Parents, priests and teachers are people who are supposed to be signs or reflections of what the True Father is like and what Jesus the True Teacher is like.
The point of today's lesson from Christ is humility. We are not to use our titles, our college degrees, our social or religious status, nor any positions of authority to win favors or to control others. We're not to lord it over the people who serve us, because only Jesus is Lord. Rather, we are to serve those who serve us, like Jesus did (and still does). This is why the Pope is called "the servant of the servants of God". This is the definition of a true leader.
Jesus emphasized this when he washed the feet of his disciples.
As a leader -- a parent, a business manager, a priest, the head of a ministry, a sports coach, a teacher, or any role of authority -- you received your position from God so that you can make a difference for his kingdom. Did you hear that? You received your position from God so that you can make a difference for his kingdom! Wow!
You are a representative of Jesus himself, even where there is no opportunity to verbally share your religious beliefs.
In imitation of Christ, we care so much about the ones who are under our authority that we're willing to make sacrifices for them. In following Jesus, we take whatever steps are necessary to be loving toward those who follow us, even if it means taking the blame for them, walking with them through hardships, getting nailed by their misunderstanding of us, and sacrificing what we value most. And sometimes what we value most is our feeling of superiority!
In situations where we are not the leader, we're to serve those in authority as if they were Jesus himself. We give love to Jesus by being kind to them and obeying them (unless it contributes to sin).
This is the humility of equality. Only our Creator is the True Father, but we are to treat his representatives here on earth the same way we should treat him. Only Jesus is our True Teacher, but we are to respond to his representatives here on earth the same way we should respond to him. And whenever and however we are his representatives, we are to serve others the way he serves us.
To grow in faith, surrender your desire to feel superior and from the assumption that you're inferior. The only superior one is God, and he does not squash you into inferiority. He raises you up to the highest level of preciousness and specialness.
Today's Prayer
Lord, I beg You not to allow pride and thoughtlessness to dominate my heart. Thank You for giving me Your unconditional love through simple and generous people. Amen.
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The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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