31st SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME:FREED FROM ENTITLEMENT & SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

31st SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A FREED FROM ENTITLEMENT AND SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS (Matthew 23:1-12)

There is no better place to hide in plain sight than behind the mask of piety. Let's face it we really loathe it, often reject it and some of us would rather undergo root canal treatment… Introspection, self-correction and reform.

The more we are honoured, the higher we climb and the bigger the audience, the less able we are to see truth, to know God and to humbly walk in the path of light. And so we forget the call of the master and cover love with authority just as we place the stole of authority over the chasuble of love… and Love is lost.

Christ weeps as we, the other ‘Christs’ treat the goods of our master as the commodities of barter.

Christ weeps as we mask our pride and envy behind the smoky curtain of selfsatisfied, sonorous piety.

Christ weeps at our secret meetings and our little plans of plunder and manipulation.

Christ himself must weep at our prideful silk garments of the Royal Courts of Constantinople while our widows and orphans are discarded in their dirty rags.

Christ himself must weep as we raise our precious golden chalices while the hungry sit behind the fences of our churches.

This day, Jesus the Christ admonishes us that we are called to seek out the last place and to serve as he served… giving hope to the outcast and defeated… healing the untouchable and the unworthy and freeing their shoulders from the burden of law and guilt.

Open our awareness to your presence Here, Now. Grant us the courage that we may gather together as your children and as little brothers to each other. Help us to know ourselves in your light and to open ourselves to your grace freed from entitlement and self-righteousness.

Give us your strength to release our attachment to pride, power, manipulation and domination. Free us from our illusions of control and privilege. Align our minds and our hearts to your will for our lives, the Order, the church and our world.

May your wisdom walk with us so that we may speak your prophetic Truth with respect and the charity of humble hearts.

Hear us O Lord and answer us. Amen.