Wednesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Hypocritical or credible laborers in God’s vineyard is the dichotomy that today’s readings place before our hearts. In the Gospel, Jesus lambasts the religious leaders of his day for their hypocritical leadership: on the outside appearing one way, but on the inside (or in secret) living and being another way. This is a real and powerful temptation for Christians and for leaders in the Christian church: to not let the gospel touch all aspects of our lives, but to only live the faith when others can see us but not when we are alone.
On the other hand, is Paul’s appeal to his authentic authority grounded in his gritty and selfless work. Paul seeks to serve, to not be a burden, and to encourage others in the living out of the faith. Paul, powerfully aware of his past, his weakness, and of his need for God, labors in a different way than those ministers in today’s Gospel that Christ chided. Paul’s credible witness passes by way of his manner of living before the words that he preaches. Paul did not let hypocrisy sneak into his ministry because he always was careful to make sure his way of living was in accord with the Gospel that he preached.
Where might we be tempted to hypocrisy in our living and preaching of the Gospel? Where might the Gospel need to take root more deeply in our life and heart to purify our manner of living, of praying, or serving so as to make us more transparent and authentic Christians.