30 March 2019
Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
Our gospel today describes the pharisee who indulges in some self-centered publicity. One must tread carefully about publicity. Even our Jesuit institutions have invested in helping to allow for public exposure. In many ways, the Jesuit publicity effort has its roots firmly planted in the actions of Ignatius who insisted that Jesuits write letters describing their many works in such a way that these letters could be shown to benefactors. Ignatius, in fact, probably premiered the role of public recognition of the efforts of a religious order. For Ignatius however, the trumpets and the bright lights were not focused on the Society of Jesus, rather, on the kingdom of God, God’s triumph in the world, and the Jesuits participation in successfully helping men and women move towards that kingdom. When the focus gets changed, that is, when the emphasis is placed on workers and not the work, when the glory goes to the institution and not for what the institution was founded, then things start falling apart.