Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
I am sure at one time or another you have heard about the terms "false piety." There are many ways to explain what it means but one way to understand it is to say that false piety is when one's religious practices and life to not blend. It is when faith and life do not form a harmonious whole. Another words for "false piety" is hypocrisy. False piety or hypocrisy can be counter-productive. It can put off people around us. It can even drive people away from God and faith.
We have examples of both "false piety" and hypocrisy in today's readings. In the first reading we have Tobit who was struck by a misfortune in his eye. Because he was incapacitated his wife Anna hired herself out and made a living for the family. We must remember that this is Old Testament world. For a woman to work outside the house was probably rare. Yet, Anna pleased her employers so much that not only did she get her full salary but a goat in bonus. when she brought it home, her husband, instead of being pleased with his wife doubts her integrity. He asked her to return the goat back to it owners. The words that Anna says to Tobit exposes his false piety. Anna retorts: “Where are your charitable deeds now?Where are your virtuous acts? See! Your true character is finally showing itself!” In other words, Tobits faith and life did not balance into a harmonious whole.
Jesus too, in today's gospel reading confronts false piety or more specifically, hypocrisy. The Pharisees in order to test Jesus asked whether it was right to pay taxes to Caesar or not. Jesus smells a plot here and Mark tell us that sensing their hypocrisy, Jesus responded a certain way. Jesus was clearly put off by their lack of sincerity. "Give to Caesar what belong to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God."
What is the opposite of "false piety" and "hypocrisy?" Genuineness, integrity and sincerity - that defines a good person. Jesus was exactly that - his faith in God and his life never contradicted each other. His words bore witness to his actions and his actions bore witness to his words. Jesus would never compromise his integrity even all the way up to the cross.
There is a speck of "false piety" and hypocrisy in all of us. Today, let us pray for a genuine spirit. Genuineness, integrity and sincerity do not just happen. We must train ourselves in the way of Jesus. This is called discipleship. We have an example of a a genuine person in today's Psalm response.
Let us pray today's Psalm as a response to God's words and let us pray that our life of integrity will bring glory to God and peace to those around it.
- Fr. Satish Joseph