Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Pharisee

Fifth Sunday of Lent

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Last Sunday we heard the parable of the Prodigal Son from the Gospel of Luke.  Our selection here from the Gospel of John offers another lesson about God’s mercy and forgiveness – not a parable but a report of a personal encounter between Jesus, some scribes and Pharisees, and a woman.  In this case, Jesus’ response to those who accuse the woman of adultery is a lesson in profound mercy and forgiveness.  It is a forceful reminder that we too have been saved by Jesus’ compassion.

The Gospel account says these people brought this woman to Jesus to trap him.  You see, Jesus had forgiven some people of their sins, like the man born blind and the crippled man. But the sins that those people had been accused of were not considered crimes. Here was a woman accused of a major crime.  Had a trial already taken place and a verdict of GUILTY already upon her head? Would Jesus fulfill the law? Or would he do what he’d done before: forgive her?   She is counting on the compassion of this man of God.

Thinking about that crowd.  It may be pretty easy to spot a Pharisee, and we might not like to admit it, but we can all behave like a Pharisee.  How will you know if you’re a Pharisee?

  • If your official title is longer than your given name.
  • If you’re willing to be merciful – once. You’re getting you final chance
  • If God’s still small voice… sounds exactly like your own.
  • If you know the Word of God, but not the God of the Word.

What does Jesus do?  He stoops down and writes in the dirt.  What’s he writing?  Was he just doodling or was he writing something meaningful? The Gospel does not say.   What John tells us is Jesus’ last words to the woman, “Go away and don’t sin anymore.”    He does not say to her, or to us, “Leave your life of sin, then I will no longer condemn you.”  He does say this: “I do not condemn you; now leave behind your life of sin.”  He did not simply ignore sin or overlook it.  Jesus chose not to condemn the woman, but He did not tell her that her sin was unimportant.

Maybe this little story, a true one I’m told, reminds you of someone you know most intimately.   Like, you know, yourself?  I’m told that a 4-year-old said to his mother, “Mom, I decided I’m not going to sin any more.  I’m not going to be like those bad guys Jesus was talking to.  I’m going to be a good child of God.” “Mmm, that’s very nice,” Mom answered.  “What made you decide that?”  “ ‘Cause Jesus said if you don’t sin, you can throw the first stone. I want to throw the first stone at the bad person.”

Maybe you never thought that way.  But you may have noticed that when you point your finger at “her,” there are three fingers on your hand pointing right back at you.  Self-examination opens us to self-revelation.  And, Jesus reminds us: “Judge not, lest you be judged.”

Notice in today’s second reading Paul says: “it is not that I have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it.”    Let us pray that same gift for each other.  May I be mindful of Jesus’ way of not looking at the past.  Instead, he says: “Neither do I condemn you.  Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”  Today, I promise you, Jesus, with Your help, I will not hold anyone’s past against them.  May God strength me/us in my/our resolve.

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

First Reading:   Isaiah 43:16-21       Second Reading:  Philippians 3:8-14
Gospel:   John 8:1-11
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Righteousness

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It is important to note at the outset of this particular reading just who it is that Jesus is addressing.  Luke says: “Jesus told this parable to some who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.”

But, then there’s this.  Elsewhere in Scripture, Proverbs tells us: “To do righteousness is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” and “Blessings are on the head of the righteous.”  Turning to Isaiah we read: “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.

So, why does Jesus seem to be criticizing the righteous one?  One little word makes the difference.  Jesus is talking to the self-righteous; those who trust in themselves. They’re a little too sure they are right and anyone who thinks differently must be wrong.  They (or is it we?) are so full of self that there’s little room for God’s grace to filter in.

It’s interesting when you think about it. Everything the Pharisee says is true. He has set himself apart from others by his faithful adherence to the law. He is, by the standards of his day, a righteous man.   It isn’t that the Pharisee is speaking falsely, but rather that the Pharisee misses the true nature of his blessing. As Luke says, he has trust in himself. His prayer of gratitude may be addressed to God, but it is really about himself. He credits his righteousness entirely to his own actions.

The tax collector, on the other hand, does not even raise his eyes to heaven.  He knows that he possesses no means by which to claim righteousness. He declares he has done nothing of merit. So, he stands back, hardly daring to approach the Temple, and throws himself on the mercy of the Lord.  He seems not so much humble as desperate.  He stakes his hope entirely on the mercy of God.

At the end of the day, the Pharisee will leave the Temple and return to his home the same virtuous, honorable man he was when he came to the temple.  That hasn’t changed.  The Pharisee’s mistake, as Scott Peck says, is that he thinks that whenever he wants, he can pull “God out of his hip pocket.”   On the other hand, the tax collector will go back to his home exalted in God’s eyes because he humbled himself.

If you’re spiritually alive, and give credit where credit is due, you’re going to love this take on the parable.  If you’re spiritually dead, you won’t even want to hear it.  If you’re spiritually curious, there is still hope!

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of his hometown newspaper and complained that it made no sense to him at all to go to church every Sunday.  He wrote: “I’ve gone for 30 years now, and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons, but for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them.  So, it’s been a waste of my time on my part and on the part of homilists who are wasting their time by giving sermons at all”.

This started a real controversy in the “Letters to the Editor” column.  Much to the delight of the editor, it went on for weeks until someone wrote a real clincher:  “I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals.  But I do know this: they all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work.   If my wife had not given me those meals, I would be physically dead today.”

We might say: I’ve been in community x number of years.  In that time, I’ve been nourished and supported by my Sisters thousands of times in hundreds of different ways. But sadly, I can only recall a few, if any, instances in full detail. This much I DO know: without their support my spirit would have withered long ago.  Likewise, if I had not gone to Mass and been faithful to my time of private and communal prayer, I would be spiritually dead today!

 

~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

First Reading  Sirach 35:12-14,16            
Second Reading  2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18    
Gospel Reading  Luke 18:9-14
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A Study of Contrasts

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righteousnessFirst Reading  Sirach 35:12-14,16-      Second Reading  2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18
Gospel  Luke 18:9-14

It is important to note at the outset of this particular reading to whom Jesus is speaking in this parable.  Luke says:  “Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt.”

The whole parable is a study in contrasts between the prayer of the Pharisee and the prayer of the tax collector.  Jesus teaches us, his listeners, to pray in humility before God. He surprises his listeners, including us, by highlighting the tax collector as the example of faith – a model for prayer. He reminds us if we are too full of ourselves, there is too little room for God’s grace to work in us.

It’s interesting to notice that everything the Pharisee says is true. He has set himself apart from others by his faithful adherence to the law. He is, by the standards of his day what Luke and Jesus seem to term, righteous. So before we judge him too quickly, we might reframe his prayer slightly and wonder if we have uttered it ourselves. Maybe we haven’t said, “Lord, I thank you that I am not like other people…”, but what about, on seeing someone down on her luck, “There but for the grace of God go I”? It isn’t that the Pharisee is speaking falsely, but rather that the Pharisee misses the true nature of his blessing. As Luke says early on in this reading, he has trust in himself. His prayer of gratitude may be addressed to the God, but it is really about himself. He credits his righteousness entirely in his own actions.

The tax collector, on the other hand, does not even raise his eyes to heaven.  He knows that he possesses no means by which to claim righteousness. He declares he has done nothing of merit. So, he stands back, hardly daring to approach the Temple, and throws himself on the mercy of the Lord.  He seems not so much humble as desperate.  He is too overwhelmed by his plight to take time to divide people into categories.  He stakes is hope entirely on the mercy of God.

At the end of the day, the Pharisee will leave the Temple and return to his home righteous. This hasn’t changed; he was virtuous, honorable, and righteous when he came to the temple.  That hasn’t changed … he’s still righteous when he leaves the temple. His mistake, as Scott Peck says, is that he thinks that whenever he wants to he can pull “God out of his back pocket.”   On the other hand, the tax collector will leave the Temple and go back down to his home justified, that is, accounted righteous.  As Luke expresses it: he is exalted in God’s eyes because he humbled himself.

If you’re spiritually alive, and give credit where credit is due, you’re going to love this take on the parable.  If you’re spiritually dead, you won’t even want to hear / read it.
If you’re spiritually curious, there is still hope!

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of his hometown newspaper and
complained that it made no sense to him at all to go to church every Sunday………

He wrote: “I’ve gone for 30 years now, and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons, but for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them.  So, I think I’m wasting my time, the preachers and priests are wasting their time by giving sermons at all”.

This started a real controversy in the “Letters to the Editor” column.  Much to the delight of the editor, it went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

“I’ve been married for 30 years now….. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals…… But, for the life of me—- I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals.

[Or we might say: I’ve been in community x number of years… in that time I’ve been  nourished and supported by my Sisters thousands of times in hundreds of different ways …But, I can only recall a few instances in detail ….]

But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work.   If my wife (my community) had not given me those meals, I would be physically dead today.

Likewise, if I had not gone to church – been faithful to my time of private and communal prayer – for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!”  AMEN!

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress
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Are You In Danger of Becoming a Pharisee?

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It’s pretty easy to spot a Pharisee, and we might not like it to admit it, but we can all behave like a Pharisee if we’re not careful.   How will you knowPharisees if you’re a Pharisee?

If your official title is longer than your given name.

  • If you’re willing to be merciful – once.
  • If you feel your rules are the REAL rules.
  • If everyone outside your immediate circle, and most within it, are always wrong.
  • If God’s still small voice… sounds exactly like your own.
  • If you feel all the apples are spilled out of your cart when a rule is bent.
  • If you know the Word of God, but not the God of the Word.

You see, the Pharisees of Jesus’ day had started out wanting TO PLEASE God. They began in a day when Israel was deeply tainted with immorality and unrighteousness and somebody needed to stand in the gap. And the Pharisees stepped up to fill that need. And in an era where many Jews had abandoned the law of God, the Pharisees became like prophets to their people pointing them back to the Law of Moses and obedience to God’s will.

The Pharisees were THE religious people of the day and they took their “faith” seriously. Any time people take their faith seriously, it’s not a big step over the line from pleasing God to disobeying God.

So we want to be careful WE don’t do that too.  You see the Pharisees didn’t set out to make God angry.   They wanted to obey every one of God’s commands. They didn’t wake up one morning saying: “I’m going to make God mad today!”  It was just that their thinking was warped.  Rules had become all-important – People were UNIMPORTANT.  When the Pharisees brought this adulterous woman to Jesus… they didn’t care about her. A rule had been broken. She needed to be exposed.  She was only a tool – an object lesson they wanted to use to get at Jesus. They really hated Jesus.

In their warped thinking, God’s agenda was what they decided. And, they believed as long as they kept the rules their personal sins could be covered up. In reality they had no intention of stoning the woman … she was just a prop.  In fact, they couldn’t stone her. Once Rome conquered Judah, Judah became a Roman territory, and under Roman law, only the Roman governors had the authority to condemn people to death. You only have to look at the Crucifixion of Jesus to see that truth.  Do you remember who’s approval the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law needed to have Jesus executed? That’s right – Pilate. He was the Roman Governor at the time.

It was a perfect trap.  They didn’t care about the woman. And they didn’t care about Jesus. In their minds both of them had broken their rules… and both needed to be destroyed.

You need to understand, these Pharisees saw Jesus as an enemy of THEIR god. Their god was on THEIR side… and so anyone who opposed them was opposing God.

We can end up making Jesus our enemy by substituting our personal agenda for His. And if you’re not careful… you’ll not even know you’ve done it.  BUT there is one symptom of this dangerous attitude. It should be like a road sign saying “Don’t go there.”

When you get mad people don’t listen to you. Your opinion is being ignored. Things aren’t going YOUR way.  That can make you really angry. YOUR agenda is obviously the right agenda.  If you’re right it follow the other must be wrong.  If you feel that’s happening, pay attention. It’s a sign that you’re in danger of becoming a Pharisee.

The Pharisees had convinced themselves that if they could “look” good on the outside, that was as good as “being good” on the inside.  They fooled themselves into thinking that obeying certain rules was just as good as being righteous before God.  In fact they got most of the rules right.  By contrast, a Pharisee could tell you were going to hell – and you could tell they were thinking “got what you deserved – glad you are on your way.”

As this true story illustrates, warped thinking can lead you down a Pharisee-like path:

A 4-year told his mother” “Mom, I’m not gonna be like those bad guys Jesus was talking to; I’m not going to sin anymore.”   “Well, that’s very nice,” (she said). “What made you decided not to sin anymore?”  He answered: “Cause Jesus said if you don’t sin, you can throw the first stone and I want to throw the first stone.”

Reflection by Prioress, Sr. Roberta Bailey, OSB
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