Whitewashed Tombs?

Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.  When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18)

Hypocrisy!  To be a hypocrite is to be dishonest with ourselves, never mind with others.  Speaking out of both sides of our mouths makes us look weak and indecisive.  Worse, we appear sneaky and untrustworthy.  “Do as I say, not as I do” is a hypocrite’s mantra.

This Ash Wednesday and throughout Lent we are to soul search and burn to ashes the hypocrite within us.  We are to perform deeds, pray, and fast without calling attention to ourselves. However, that does seem a bit at odds with our human nature.  We all appreciate recognition.

At the very least we are to remember from dust we came, and we will return to dust.  That’s humbling.  We all need humbling.

Speaking of humility, Pope Francis has asked us to reconsider the heart of fasting this Lenten season. According to Pope Francis, fasting must never become superficial. He quotes the early Christian mystic John Chrysostom who said: “No act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually, if you do no good to others, you do nothing great.” 

The Pope doesn’t downplay the role of sacrifice during the Lenten season. He says Lent is a good time for penance and self-denial, and “I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt.”  He also emphasizes that if we’re going to fast from anything this Lent, even more than candy or alcohol, we must fast from indifference towards others.

Then there’s political hypocrisy. Throughout Lent and well thereafter we must be on guard for this brand of hypocrisy that weakens our Nation and corrodes our democracy many pretend to safeguard providing their standing or their jobs are not jeopardized.

I end with a quote from Matthew (23:27-28) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth.  Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.”

This Lent let’s hear Matthew every day to remind us not to be filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.  Our cup should overflow with love, not every kind of filth.

Deacon David Pierce