Flip-Flops In Church | August 25, 2015

 August 25, 2015

Have you ever had unexpected company and 5 minutes before they arrive, you successfully manage to shove all the crap lying around the room into a closet? After they leave you look around and your apartment appears to be pretty clean until you open the closet and all the crap falls back out. Keeping up with the appearance of being clean, religious, morally sound, and righteous is the theme of today’s gospel. Jesus is starting to really push and poke at the religious leaders because they need it. This passage is in the midst of the “Seven Woes” smack down that Jesus is dishing out to the Pharisees and teachers of the law (Woe = Shame).   

Seven times he says, “Woe, (shame) to you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!” I appreciate gentle loving Jesus but I also love and respect riled up Jesus and can really relate to him on a personal level (not that I ever get riled up over things and I pretty much tend to keep my opinions to myself, wink wink). These guys had it coming. Jesus had had enough and toward the end of this chapter we even hear him use some pretty strong language, “You snakes! You brood of vipers!” (Hear, “snake bastards!”) These seven woes needed to be addressed and Jesus does so with righteous anger so as to highlight their importance. There are times in life when we too can use righteous anger on behalf of what is right, however, we humans have a bit of a harder time figuring out when those times are and when we should hold our tongues.

There are 2 woes in this gospel. First, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you

hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity.” Minutia over relationship is where the woe is found. The tithing of mint, dill, and cumin is a practice to discipline the soul into the habit of giving and giving should transform a person into living with right judgment, practicing mercy, and faithfulness to God and others. If the tithing turns you into a jerk, you’ve missed the point. Religious practices are not ever meant to create pompous, self-righteous, rude, inhospitable, formality centered, micro managers but rather to bend our will to the will of God. All religious practice has relationship at the heart of it and if, A. your intimacy and dependence on God is not influenced by said religious practice and, B. your compassion and love for others either, then you are doing it wrong and for the wrong reasons. Woe to you and woe to me when we get caught up in this, which is VERY easy to do.

The title of this reflection is “Flip-Flops In Church” because the attire of teenagers at mass on Sundays seems to be at the forefront of a lot of people’s minds and because I am a Youth Minister, I hear the brunt of these flip-flop complaints. Obviously, it would be ideal if EVERYONE came to mass completely prepared, for example, having already read the readings, made a good confession, fasted for at least an hour before, came with a list of thanksgivings, came with a list of things they are offering back to God, and dressed in their Sunday best. But, the reality of it is that very few come to mass with all these conditions in place. Since most of these things are inward preparations made by individuals, it’s hard to site and ultimately to judge and flip-flops are easy to spot so they are also easy to complain about. “Strain out the gnat and swallow the camel.” This is a funny sentence but it relates here. We choose to focus on the smallest details while ignoring the bigger picture. Like, yes, they have flip-flops on their feet, but their souls are here to swim in the ocean of grace that mass gives to everyone. What is the bigger issue, the sole or the soul? Jesus would say, woe to those that look at the sole and yes to those that focus on the soul!!

The second woe relates to appearances. One might dress up for mass but become a complete jerk in the parking lot after mass. A clean outside does not a clean inside make. Remember my apartment with all the junk in the closet? My guests thought my apartment was clean, but I was just hiding the crap. Jesus gives this kind of behavior a big woe because he wants us to be real. The word hypocrite means actor and Jesus wants us to be who God created us to be, but the best version of that. The best means understanding the heart of the matter, which is: 1. Right judgment, 2. Mercy, 3. Fidelity. And all these things require relationship.

God wants eye contact over presents. God wants heart to hearts over memorized speeches. God wants slow dances over pomp and circumstance. God wants our souls dressed in splendor over our feet dressed in shoes.

So, yes, a big woe to me for overlooking that God is in love with me and wants me to be madly in love back with him. Woe to me for getting caught up in appearances and neglecting what is on the inside. Woe to me for focusing on the insignificant things and not on growing in wisdom. May I begin today to live with my soul fixed on justice, mercy, and fidelity so that Jesus will not say woe to me but come to me and let’s dance.

Reading 1 1 THES 2:1-8

You yourselves know, brothers and sisters,
that our reception among you was not without effect.
Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated,
as you know, in Philippi,
we drew courage through our God
to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggle.
Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives,
nor did it work through deception.
But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel,
that is how we speak,
not as trying to please men,
but rather God, who judges our hearts.
Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know,
or with a pretext for greed–God is witness–
nor did we seek praise from men,
either from you or from others,
although we were able to impose our weight as Apostles of Christ.
Rather, we were gentle among you,
as a nursing mother cares for her children.
With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you
not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well,
so dearly beloved had you become to us.

Responsorial Psalm PS 139:1-3, 4-6

R. (1) You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know the whole of it.
Behind me and before, you hem me in
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
too lofty for me to attain.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.

Alleluia HEB 4:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 23:23-26

Jesus said:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier things of the law:
judgment and mercy and fidelity.
But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
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.”