Daily Retreat 08/26/06
2006 Aug 26 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM
Ez 43: 1-7ab/ Ps 84(85): 9ab and 10. 11-12. 13-14/ Mt 23: 1-12
From today’s readings: “And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the LORD.... The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.... Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted....”
Practice What You Preach
Religious hypocrisy was one of the sins that Jesus attacked most frequently, calling the scribes and Pharisees to task for not practicing what they preached. And even though not everyone has the chance to literally preach in a religious context, we all have had times when our actions didn’t measure up to our stated beliefs, and this too, is a form of hypocrisy.
And hypocrisy is one of the most difficult sins to notice and correct in ourselves, since the tendency of fallen human nature is to gloss over our own failings and gloat about our virtues, while overlooking the merits of others, and pouncing on their misdeeds.
Humility is the cure prescribed by Jesus, both in His preaching, and in His practice. For, the person who is humble has no illusions about exalting himself, and so does not need to hide his own faults from himself. That makes recognition and confession of sins much easier, which is the road to Christ’s exultation.
Ez 43: 1-7ab/ Ps 84(85): 9ab and 10. 11-12. 13-14/ Mt 23: 1-12
From today’s readings: “And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the LORD.... The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.... Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted....”
Practice What You Preach
Religious hypocrisy was one of the sins that Jesus attacked most frequently, calling the scribes and Pharisees to task for not practicing what they preached. And even though not everyone has the chance to literally preach in a religious context, we all have had times when our actions didn’t measure up to our stated beliefs, and this too, is a form of hypocrisy.
And hypocrisy is one of the most difficult sins to notice and correct in ourselves, since the tendency of fallen human nature is to gloss over our own failings and gloat about our virtues, while overlooking the merits of others, and pouncing on their misdeeds.
Humility is the cure prescribed by Jesus, both in His preaching, and in His practice. For, the person who is humble has no illusions about exalting himself, and so does not need to hide his own faults from himself. That makes recognition and confession of sins much easier, which is the road to Christ’s exultation.
posted by FrPitstick | 8/25/2006
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