Do As They Say

“Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.”

Matthew 23:3

Perhaps we have all heard the famous saying, “practice what you preach.” What does that mean? It means to say one thing and do another. Or, it can also mean to set out rules and standards for others but not having them apply to yourself. In other words, this could be seen as hypocrisy or duplicity. Jesus was telling the people that the scribes and the Pharisees were indeed teaching good things and preaching important messages. But they were not putting them to practice in their own lives. So Jesus told the people to listen to what the scribes and Pharisees teach but to not imitate their actions.

Do we know such people in our lives? Maybe we even see ourselves in the scribes and the Pharisees. Do we practice what we preach? It is not enough to say the right things we need to practice them. We can see this in family life. How many times have we heard parents or elders say “Do as I say not as I do”? Only having children question why it is okay for the grownups to do something but not for them to do it. Similarly, in schools when teachers set classroom rules, expecting the students to follow them but not leading by example. This is not at all to shame parents or teachers, but rather to see how pervasive this phenomenon is. I myself have done the same — at home as an uncle or older cousin and at school as a teacher. But this also happens in the Church.

There are priests and bishops who do not practice what they preach, and perhaps we can think of a few individuals. Priests and bishops are called to be shepherds who, like the Good Shepherd, know their sheep so that their sheep might know them. You can’t simply tell the sheep to do something. You must do it too. You have to lead them, guide them, and shepherd them. We need priests and bishops who practice what they preach. We need priests and bishops who smell like their sheep. We need priests and bishops who not only lead their people, but who first and foremost lay down their lives for them. Regardless of what priests and bishops may do, they usually do preach the Good News, even if they do not live it out. So, as laypeople may we be faithful to our priests in their preaching of the Good News for we believe that they are acting in the person of Christ, but at the same time may we never be afraid to act out and live out the Good News even if our priests do not. May our examples move them to do the same.

Let us pray for our priests that they may be good shepherds who practice what they preach so that the People of God may be sanctified and led into communion with the Father. May we too do our part in preaching the Gospel in our daily lives as well as practicing it, living it out as best we can wherever we may be. For then, the glory of God will truly be seen.

Listen to Him

“Then from the cloud came a voice that said,

‘This is my chosen Son; listen to him.’”

Luke 9:35

On this Second Sunday of Lent the Church proclaims, hears, and ponders Luke’s account of the Transfiguration, where the Father spoke from the cloud affirming Jesus’ identity. But, the Father also spoke to Peter, John, and James, and He speaks to us today the same message and command: “Listen to Him.”

We do not see many times in the New Testament where God the Father speaks directly, but this is one of them. The Father affirms that Jesus is His chosen Son before the Apostles on the mountain and also instructs them to listen to Him. To really see the profundity of this, we have to see what comes right before this. The passages leading up to the Transfiguration are: Peter’s confession of who Jesus is, the first prediction of the passion, and also Jesus’ explanation of the conditions of discipleship. On the mountain, Jesus appeared in His glory, giving the Apostles a glimpse of the Resurrection and what awaits them. This happened only after Peter declared his confession, Jesus predicted what will happen to Him, and Jesus told the disciples what is needed to follow Him (deny oneself, pick up one’s cross, and follow Him). And now, the Father tells the Apostles “Listen to Him.” Listen to who Jesus is. Listen to what Jesus will have to endure for the salvation of souls. Listen to what Jesus says is needed to be in relationship with Him and with the Father. Listen to how much you are loved. Listen to Him.

To be a disciple, to be a Christian means to “Listen to Him.” To be a Christian means to know that we must follow the Lord not only in His glory, but also the path to it — His exodus (cf. Lk. 9:31). Just as Moses led the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt, so too does Christ lead the people out of slavery from their sins. Christ leads a people who have become dead by their attachment to sin to new life in freedom as children of God. There will be glory, but never without the Cross. Never without suffering, never without sacrifice. But we know that this suffering and sacrifice are not meaningless because we have seen His glory. Because Peter, James, and John saw Jesus in His glory, although they fled when the soldiers came to arrest Him, they ultimately walked the exodus and endured the suffering. They listened to Him.

As we continue our Lenten journey, let us spend more time listening to the Lord who speaks to us in the silence of our hearts. Let us listen to Him because He who has loved us with an everlasting love has asked this of us. In listening to Him may we find the courage and strength to live out the exodus of our lives, carrying our crosses, knowing that at the end of our pilgrimage is a happiness and glory that cannot be described with words, a joy and peace that is everlasting.

Sign of Jonah

“While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
‘This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.’”

Luke 11:29

When the people asked for signs that point to Jesus’ identity, Jesus said “No sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah” (Lk. 11:29). Although He had no need to, Jesus had already given them many signs of His divinity — healings, miracles, etc. — yet, the people still needed more. Have we ever found ourselves in a similar boat?

Have we ever asked God for a sign and after receiving some form of a sign, asked the same question and made the same request? God, if you really want me to….then please….. Jesus said no sign will be given except for the sign of Jonah. Jonah was the prophet who at first reluctantly preached repentance to the Ninevites, who surprisingly once they heard that their land will be destroyed if they did not repent, repented immediately. God saw this and He spared them. In Matthew’s account the “sign of Jonah” was about the one who was in the belly of the great fish for three days and nights. In the same way, Jesus will also be in the belly of the earth for three days, and will rise triumphantly on the third day. However, in Luke’s account, the sign is more associated with the act of Jesus’ preaching, that is, the Word who was made flesh for us. Whether one takes Matthew’s account or Luke’s, the two are really inseparable — the Word did become flesh and Jesus did suffer, die, was buried, and rose from the dead. That is the sign — the sign of the greatest love and the gift of salvation and eternal life. Is that sign not enough? Sadly, for some it is not.

As we journey through this First Week of Lent, how are we finding our Lenten practices? Are we praying? Have we denied ourselves something? Have we been kind to the stranger? Let those be our signs — prayer, fasting, and almsgiving — signs of our repentance, yes, but more than that, signs of our love for God and neighbor. Jesus did not die on the Cross because He merely wanted to take on our sins, He died because He loved the Father and He loved us. Truly, as Jesus said, “something greater than Jonah is here.” Jesus Christ, God Himself is here, present among us. We need to seek no other sign, for when we look up at the Cross, there is our sign, a sign that at the same time contradicts the world and saves us from the world.