6 February 2018
Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs
In today’s Gospel we learn that Jesus criticized the Pharisees. Why? Because they attached more importance on their traditions than on the Jesus, The Word of God.
Pharisaism is not popular in our multicultural society where every idea and every person on “the Left” is OK. But if we dig deeper on the meaning of the term, we find it really means preferring one’s opinion to the opinion of another.
So this means preferring my own word to The Word of God. In this sense I can identify with the Pharisees, who would not accept Jesus or the words The Word of God spoke to them.
It is prayer, sincere prayer, that frees me from listening to those words that keep be wrapped up in myself, closed to the invitation Jesus gives me each moment of the day to respond to him.
Mary heard that prayer better than anyone. I will pray to her to teach me how not to be a Pharisee.