27 February 2018 Gospel Reflection

Matthew 23: 1-12 Tuesday of 2nd week of Lent

Obligations of a Leader

Today’s Mass readings pertain the ideal behaviour of leaders. In the first reading, the
prophet Isaiah exhorts the princes to “Listen to the Lord’s word … a command from our God for
your hearing … wash yourselves clean, spare me the sight of your busy wickedness, of your wrong-
doing, take farewell. Learn, rather, how to do good, setting your hearts on justice, righting the
wrong, protecting the orphan, giving the widow redress (Is. 1:10, 16-17, Knox).” In the Gospel,
Jesus, on the other hand, calls us to practice what we preach. That if we want to lead others, we
should be servants of all – “Among you, the greatest of all is to be the servant of all (Mt. 23:11).”

Perhaps on the Final Judgment, Christ will either be ruthless or kind to us. One thing is
sure, he will not be lenient to the leaders – “Will you think better of it, and listen, and have rich
harvest to feed you? Or will you refuse, and defy me, and yourselves be food for the sword (Is. 1:
19-20, Knox)?” Why? The faith of the people rests on us. In the future, we shall handle the
Sacraments and bring Christ to the faithful. What we bring to them is the source of consolation,
the consolation par excellence. If we are careless, if we do not practice what we preach, their faith
might weaken. History tells us that the negligence of the clergy leads to crisis. Catharism and
Protestantism thrived because of the clergy’s lavishness. Heresies and schisms appear and persist
with the support of the clergy. Nowadays, people are scandalised. With the news of priests being
involved on corruption and sexual abuse, or in teaching unsound doctrine, the faith of the people
becomes weak.

I hope Christ will not condemn us because of our leniency and negligence. I pray that Christ
will not say these words – “Do what they tell you, then, continue to observe what they tell you,
but do not imitate their actions, for they tell you one thing and do another.”

Br. Argene A. Clasara