Bible Reflections I 20.08.2021 - Friday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 20

Readings 

        I - Ruth 1: 1, 3-6,   

                      14-16, 22

      II - Mt. 22: 34-40

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS: PREMIER ENEMY OF THE GOSPEL

Discussions are for arriving at a consensus, dialogues are for nurturing a compromise, queries are for obtaining clarity and the arguments are for augmenting the truth.  But in today’s Gospel passage the Pharisees and the Sadducees plan to trick Jesus and a lawyer approaches Jesus with a question solely with the intention of testing him, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”  This projects the self-righteousness and the ‘all knowing’ attitude of the religious leaders comprising the upper hierarchy of the Jewish society. Pride and arrogance are the byproducts of self-righteousness which was the greatest obstacle for the so called ‘all knowing’ religious leaders to identify and accept Jesus as the Promised Messiah. 

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18).  Pride obstructs from accepting the truth, arrogance alleviates the power of understanding and above all self-righteousness makes one to willfully miss the mark barricading the truth that is God Himself.  Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (Jh. 14:6).  

Jesus is the Gospel, the Good News that can only be beheld with simplicity, humility and openness of heart.  Let us give up self-righteousness, the premier enemy of the Gospel to discover the ‘all powerful, all loving, all knowing and all merciful” God. May our mind and heart resonate with this prayer: “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours”