Post-feast of the Dormition; Holy Martyr Andrew the General and those with him (286-305)
Read
2 Corinthians 2:4-15; Matthew 23:13-22
In today’s Gospel, we read that Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites. A hypocrite is defined as a person who pretends to have a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess. It comes from the Greek meaning a stage actor, pretender or dissembler.
Jesus words are a clear warning to the religious leaders of our modern day. Bishops and priests today must strive as much as possible to practice what they preach. But the lesson is one that everyone can learn from. We must ask ourselves, “Am I truly a Christian?” Or am I just an actor in the Church community. Let us avoid the trap of hypocrisy and strive at all time to really believe and practice what Christ himself taught.
Another lesson we need to keep in mind is that the core of Jesus’ teaching is a willingness to bear other people’s burdens, to help them carry their loads. And this applies to the moral life as well. If we lay the burden of God’s law on people, we must be willing, at the same time, to help them bear it.