Some
Thoughts on the Liturgy
THE
TEACHERS WE SHOULD BE
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Matthew chapter 23 continues Jesus’ and Matthew’s strong
words against the Scribes and Pharisees
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this is the roughest language that Jesus uses in the
Scriptures
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and therefore important to study why he is using the language
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why did he feel so strongly?
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these were religious leaders who were not leading well
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making a mockery of religion, making it something that you do
instead of something that you live
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Here, in particular, the Scribes and Pharisees were not the
teachers that they should have been
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they were frauds
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blocking their own and other people’s entrance into the
Kingdom
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making devils of people
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In contrast to the language of condemnation, we hear Paul
speak in terms of praise for the Christian church of
Thessalonica
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and in particular, their faith and their labor of love
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As we make applications from our readings today:
1
– the whole question of the way we influence others comes to
mind
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we may not be formal teachers
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but we do touch people’s lives and we are teachers of our
families, to be sure
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that accusation of making “devils” of people is especially
disturbing
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that is, leading them to sin, as, say, in the area of
criticism of others, talking others down, etc.
2
– as Paul praises the Thessalonians, he remembers their work
of faith and labor of love and their hope in Jesus
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the thought of “labor of love” is a good one
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that should be the driving force of a Christian’s life,
namely to live the labor of love
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We are all called to be people who labor with love, teachers
of God’s way to others
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it is good to study ourselves in that light.
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