28 August 2018
Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Not only have the scribes and Pharisees lost sight of the supreme good of God, but they have lost sight of the true values of the Law: judgement and mercy and fidelity. The scribes, men who spent their days reading and copying down Scripture and the Pharisees, known for their strict observance of the Law: one reads without eyes to see, the other does all the right things blindly!
“Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!” Both classes of men are meticulous, seeking to live the Law to perfection, yet by focusing on appearing holy, by striving to master the letter of the Law, they miss the point entirely: as the Psalmist writes “…for you do not desire sacrifice or I would give it; a burnt offering you would not accept. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn” (Psalm 51:18-19).
“You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.” Jesus is not blind: He sees right through them. Being a child of God is more than merely doing the right thing, but more about having the right heart which motivates everything we do. These men are not being accused of falling short of doing what the Law technically requires; rather because they are doing it merely for the sake of appearing holy—for their own vainglory—the Law is actually condemning them. If the “outside” appears holy but the “inside” of a person is not—if it is full of vanity, pride, and all manner of selfishness—then no righteous act will save such a soul.
It is a common enough temptation: how often do we blindly go forward to Communion without a thought as to our spiritual preparedness? When was our last confession: are we indeed so holy that once a year during Lent is sufficient? Do we bow to perceived social pressure, fearing that if we stay seated during Eucharist others will begin to wonder what sin we’ve committed such that we are abstaining? Is it not better that God knows our reasons, and that we abstain not merely for the good of our soul (1 Corinthians 11:27-29) but also to show Him reverence, honor, and love?
St. Augustine learned through time and struggle the great value of humility, both before God and before others. He said, “Humility is the foundation of all other virtues, hence in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” What did Jesus tell the scribes and Pharisees their “cups” were full of? Essentially, their selves. How can I hope to receive Christ within my heart—in the Eucharist or otherwise—if that space is already occupied by myself?
Jesus, help us to see: open our eyes to see anything in our hearts that keeps us from receiving you fully. Cleanse us from the inside that beginning with purity of intention we may live according to your Way and our Truth, that we might have Life everlasting.