Memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Jesus is not happy today. “Woe to you!” I can imagine Jesus pointing a finger at the Pharisees. And sometimes, when I pray with this text, I worry: Is Jesus pointing a finger at me? “Woe to you, Kelly!” Yikes! No doubt that self-examination is a good thing. And, I wonder, what is the good news today? How can we keep from swirling in worry that we are being condemned?
Let’s dig a bit deeper into the readings to find out. Today’s readings pick right up where we left off yesterday, which is typical of weekday readings. However, what is not always typical is how well the readings go together. You may remember that yesterday, Jesus sat down with the Pharisees to eat, and they were taken aback that he did not engage in the prescribed ritual cleansing. In today's gospel reading, Jesus continues to respond to the Pharisees’ judgment of him. Jesus acknowledges that they are following the law, tithing as prescribed. They are doing good things. However, they are not doing them for love of God, which always brings us into deeper care and love of others. That is why Jesus says, “Who to you!”
Paul echoes Jesus’ concern about judgment: “You, who judge, are without excuse! You will be judged by the same standard that you judge others.” It’s true, Jesus and Paul are calling us to self-examination. It is also true that they are calling us to hope. Hope that moves us to action.
What is the reason for my hope in these readings? Jesus does not begin by judging. Remember, Jesus came into the world because God loves us! Jesus’ “woe” is directed at freeing the Pharisees and the scholars to live not by rigid rules, but by the rule of love. When his “woe” is directed at me or at you, it is meant to free us, not to condemn us!
The rules are important, yes, but Jesus reminds us that the rules are meant to be a guide for how to love God and each other well. They are not created for us to live by a checklist, to live in anxiety, or to watch one another to see who is better or worse, as if heaven has limited seating. No, Jesus came to free us all to live in love now. And for eternity.
—Kelly Adamson