Interestingly, in today's gospel, it is
told that Jesus delivered special teaching for His disciples. Jesus taught
them in a crowd of people, even as they were temporarily jostling. This is
certainly not a coincidence. Because that was the method of Jesus’s teaching to the disciples. Jesus knew very well the situation of the disciples at that
time. They are temporarily "in pride". They were praised by many
people even by Jesus himself after returning from his mission. Walking closest
to Jesus and being witnessed by many people was a great pride!
Beware! Beware is an alarm that reminds
and even wakes up the disciples to stay awake with their situation. Jesus
wanted the disciples to realize that they were being tempted to think, feel, and
act like the Pharisees and the scribes. Disciples need to get out of such
temptations quickly. Jesus wants none of His disciples to be carried away by
the current of the environment but to remain strong in their mission and
ministry with humility and sincerity.
Being praised by many for doing something good is a temptation to be proud. The Lord Jesus' warning was addressed to the disciples, is also a warning to us all. Jesus also doesn't want us to be tempted to be like the Pharisees. We may also be infected with the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who are concerned with appearance and prestige alone. Let us repent and stay away from all things that make us hypocrites. Realize that hypocrisy will one day be exposed. What is covered by man, will be opened by God who looks into the heart.
By Fr. Fransiskus M. Diaz, SVD.
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