November 7 & 8, 2015+ JMJ +

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Scribes, Good and Bad

"Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept…seats of honor in synagogues…and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers.”

Are priests, bishops, and even ministers making the same mistakes as the scribes?

Who were the scribes?

  • In general, scribes were people who could write and read
  • They recorded everything from speeches to financial records
  • In particular, the scribes spoken about in the New Testament studied and wrote about the Scriptures
  • Also called lawyers and doctors of the Law
  • The Book of Sirach, at the end of the Old Testament: “How different the man who devotes himself to the study of the law of the Most High! He explores the wisdom of the men of old and occupies himself with the prophecies…His care is to seek the Lord, his Maker, to petition the Most High, to open his lips in prayer to ask pardon for his sins…He will show the wisdom of what he has learned and glory in the law of the Lord’s covenant…While he lives he is one out of a thousand, and when he dies his renown will not cease” (39:1, 6, 8, 11).
  • In summary, they were highly skilled experts in the Bible

Why does Jesus criticize some of them?

  • This expertise went to their head
  • Jesus lists the abuses they committed:
  • Flashy clothing in public to draw attention
  • Accepting praise and greeting in front of other people to draw attention
  • Honor in the middle of synagogue ceremonies that they were not necessarily leading
  • Honor in social circles and favor shown to them in banquets
  • Gain wealth from widows, who lacked power in society, even though Scripture says many times to defend widows
  • Lengthen their prayers, which were out loud and in public, as a cover for this unjust action
  • For some, their intention had become impure; they studied the holy Word of God, but for the wrong reasons

Back in 1987, when he was still Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict noted that experts in Christianity, like priests and theologians, can fall in the same trap:

  • “There is also the danger that a priest” or I would say, any of us,“takes the world of faith for granted or…that he becomes tired of it” (A New Song for the Lord, page 57).
  • One who is very familiar with our faith can become arrogant and dismiss the faith of those who know less
  • Cardinal Ratzinger reminded his audience to have humility in receiving the wisdom that the unlearned have to share
  • A simple faith enriches the knowledge an expert has and reminds him of the central point of Christianity: “priests and correspondingly Christians in general must be people who live from and in a relationship—the relationship with God” (page 57).

The challenge in our walk with Christ is to keep our intentions pure

  • We should grow in knowledge of Christ, but for the right reason: to love him more
  • We should have beautiful churches, vestments, music, prayer, and celebrations, but for the right reason: to love Christ more.
  • We should show honor and respect to each other, but for the right reason: to build each other up in God’s love

We pray that Christ helps us keep our intentions in religion pure through the example and encouragement we give one another.

Rev. Eric Culler