If I Were to Deliver This Sunday's Homily

On Matthew 23:1-12

The Paths to True Holiness

Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. -Matthew 23:1-12 (RSV)

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus offers a stern critique of the scribes and Pharisees, who, though authoritative teachers, do not practice what they preach. He acknowledges that they sit in the seat of Moses, meaning they teach the law given by God through Moses. Yet for all their authority to teach God's truth, in their hypocrisy, they lay heavy burdens on people while making an outward show of piety to win prestige for themselves.

It can be tempting to be scandalized by such bad behavior, even from those in positions of power like priests or Church leaders. Yet their personal failings do not diminish the truth of the Gospel they preach. Jesus contrasts this with the attitude His followers ought to embody, saying “The greatest among you must be your servant.” True authority is found in humble service, not titles and honors.

The words of Christ cuts through any age, laying bare the human tendency toward hypocrisy and misplaced priorities that impede true holiness. Jesus calls us to walk the way of humility, remembering that in God’s kingdom, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. Jesus speaks plainly about the dangers of chasing after those who preach one way yet act another, warning us against pursuing titles, honors, and the esteem of others. This path, He cautions, leads only to disillusionment and emptiness.

All of us are called to live an authentic life, where our inner dispositions align with outward actions. True sanctity comes not from mimicking visible leaders but from modeling ourselves after Jesus Christ. For our Lord is the perfect Exemplar, the true Shepherd who guides through selfless love rather than fleeting adulation.

And may we look to the saints who embodied humility and sanctity. St. Thérèse of Lisieux found holiness in doing little things with great love. Her “Little Way” is a testament to living a life of genuine piety, not one that is merely outward. She embraced everyday tasks with great love, aspiring not for recognition but to reflect Jesus in the simplicity and smallness of her actions. In her autobiography, "Story of a Soul," she writes, “Holiness consists simply in doing God's will, and being just what God wants us to be.” Thérèse sought no earthly crowns, but her sanctity now radiates as a celestial beacon of true discipleship.

Blessed Charles de Foucauld, embraced obscurity and poverty to witness to Jesus' own hidden life. After a conversion that upturned his former life of indulgence, he chose to live among the Tuareg people in the Sahara. His was a ministry not of grandeur but of presence, emulating the silent years of Jesus in Nazareth. Charles sought invisibility in the eyes of the world to better mirror Christ, saying, “As soon as I believed that there was a God, I understood that I could do nothing else but live for Him.”

These saints point us to the antidote for disordered attachments - the way of humility, littleness, and sacrificial love.

Therefore, let us examine our hearts. Where do we still thirst for others' esteem? Where do we compare and compete rather than walk humbly with God? Let us lay down these tendencies at the foot of the Cross, and enter the path of littleness. There, beneath Christ's merciful gaze, we experience our poverty yet discover our nobility as sons and daughters destined for greatness - a paradoxical greatness found only in smallness and humility.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, renew us in childlike trust and selfless love. Lead us from the lure of praise and prestige, and guide our feet into the Little Way that leads to You. As we prepare to receive Christ whose outstretched arms embraced the Cross, let us open our hearts to the mystery that true holiness is found in lowering, not exalting ourselves. For when we descend in love, we become channels of the One whose humility reversed the plight of humanity. United to Him, we discover the path of true fulfillment.