HYPOCRITE!

August 25, 2010


Wednesday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 23:27-32

Hypocrisy: If there is one thing that Jesus cannot stand, it is hypocrisy. Jesus has the strongest words and direct approach in condemning hypocrisy. He doesn’t mind offending the sensibilities and pricking the conscience of people as he hits hard on the hypocritical practices, tendencies and attitudes of the society. The entire chapter 23 in the Gospel of Mathew presents to us Jesus’ deploring of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes.

Hypocrisy is duplicity and deception. Even God finds himself helpless in healing a hypocrite. In this sense, hypocrisy is a sin more dangerous than other mortal sins. The hypocrite lives in a world of deception, he deceives himself and others. He is characterized by a split personality, a fake persona, and a deceptive look. His heart wallows in decay and death. His mind and conscience is enveloped in thick darkness of selfishness and self-righteousness. He is a den of the devil that appears in the garb of an innocent child. Even as his heart is rotting and fuming with evil, he has the most attractive smile and the life-style of a saint. He appears to be the standard bearer of holiness. Jesus uses the image of a whitewashed tomb to depict the hypocrite. A well decorated tomb is a beauty to behold. The expensive stones and carvings, the serene surrounding of green grass carpets… indeed, a tomb well kept and decorated is pleasing to the eyes. Yet, the externals of the tomb are just cover-ups of the rotting flesh, the decaying bones and the frightening darkness that lies within. Such is the case with the hypocrite: He is a walking tomb—a glittering, shining, adorable personality outside, and a decaying, rotting, dark personality within. He lives in the tomb of his own creation.

Healing not possible: Perfection is his clarion call. He is perfect, and the whole world is imperfect for him. He is impatient with the imperfections of others even as he is happy with the deceptive self. He does not need reform. Grace of God has no place in him. God can work in us if only we admit our sinfulness and beg for His mercy. Hypocrisy is the highest form of sin, because, it is a sin upon sin. On the one hand, a hypocrite indulges in all forms of sin such as envy, hatred, lust, pride, deception, self-gratification, selfishness, corruption and so on, on the other hand he does not feel he is sinful, he covers up his evil, and puts on a garb of holiness before others and God. If you feel you are perfect, the light of Christ cannot penetrate your heart. The forgiving grace cannot come into your life. This is why Jesus cannot stand hypocrisy in any form.

So today, let me stand bare before God, allow him to search out my heart—my inner feelings, thoughts, fears, anxieties, corruption and self-righteous mentality. Let me open wide the door of my heart, mind and life and admit my sinfulness, weaknesses and imperfections. Let the grace of Christ melt away the duplicity and deception within me, let His light shine upon my being that I may be made whole and clean. Let my steps lead me to the sacrament of reconciliation today that I may be healed of my hypocrisy of words, attitudes and dealings.