杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

In his homily at Mass on Tuesday, 杏MAP导航 Francis says that Jesus does not tolerate hypocrisy. 鈥淲e must be cured of hypocrisy,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd the medicine is knowing how to point the finger at ourselves before God鈥�, since whoever is unable to do so is 鈥渘ot a good Christian鈥�.

One way to another

In the Gospel reading, Jesus is invited to lunch by a Pharisee and is highly criticised by the master of the house because he does not perform ritual ablution before sitting at the table to eat.

杏MAP导航 Francis explains that this behavior is not tolerated and is hypocritical because the Pharisees invited Jesus to lunch 鈥渢o judge him, not to befriend him鈥�. This is exactly what hypocrisy is, he says, 鈥渁ppearing one way but acting in another鈥�.

The truth

Jesus often calls hypocritical Pharisees 鈥渨hitened sepulchers鈥�. This is not an insult, says the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渋t is the truth鈥�. He goes on to explain that 鈥渁 hypocritical attitude stems from the great liar, the devil鈥�. The 杏MAP导航 says the devil is the 鈥済reat hypocrite鈥�, adding that all other hypocrites are his 鈥渉eirs鈥�.

Jesus, continues the 杏MAP导航, likes to 鈥渦nmask鈥� hypocrites who use the devil鈥檚 language, as he knows that this is the attitude that will lead to his death.

Hypocrisy kills

杏MAP导航 Francis goes on to say that anyone who may think 鈥渢his form of hypocrisy does not exist鈥� is mistaken. Though it is not 鈥渘ormal鈥�, he says, it is 鈥渃ommon鈥� to 鈥渁ppear in one way but be another鈥�. An example of this, says the 杏MAP导航, is in the fight for power. Jealousy makes you act in a certain way, with poison within, poison to kill, he says, because hypocrisy 鈥渁lways kills鈥�.

Open up to the Lord

The cure for this hypocrisy, continues the 杏MAP导航, is in learning to 鈥減oint the finger at ourselves. We must open up before God and release what we have inside us. This spiritual exercise, he says, is not common, 鈥渂ut we must try to do it鈥�. We must see the hypocrisy and evil that we have in our heart, because the devil does sow evil. But whoever is unable to point the finger at themselves, is 鈥渘ot a good Christian鈥�, he says.

Concluding his homily, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalls Peter鈥檚 prayer in which he tells the Lord 鈥淒epart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord鈥�, reminding the faithful of the importance of acknowledging our wrongs.