Gospel in Art: Do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach

York Minster, Founded 627 AD, Completed 1472 © Alamy

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 15th March 2022 - Matthew 23:1-12

Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, 'The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.

'You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.'

Reflection on the Gothic Cathedral

As I progress on my journey towards the priesthood and as more and more people read these daily reflections, today's Gospel reading makes increasingly more uncomfortable reading for me. Jesus says about all who preach, that people should 'not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach'. Jesus is very critical of hypocrisy. The hypocrisy objection is also one of the main points of criticism by non Christians or non-practising Christians about our Church. Fair criticism or not, the Church is a work in progress, just like each of its members.

Cathedrals take decades or centuries to build. After the master architect has drawn up the plans, the process is long, time-consuming and frustrating at times. But someday it will be completed and stand as a beautiful testimony to the power of Christ. So has God, the master architect of our Church, entrusted us to build His cathedral. We have been working at it for over 2,000 years and many more centuries probably still lie ahead of us. We will continue to sculpt and build our Church for God's glory, whilst falling and failing at times. Building whilst we self-empty, we become the spiritual bricklayers of his cathedral.

Saint Peter's here in Rome took over 144 years to build. But probably one of the Cathedrals that took the longest to build was York Minster Cathedral. It took 252 years to complete. Construction began in 1220 and ended in 1472. Since the 7th century, the Minster has been at the centre of Christianity in the north of England. Every buttress, every brick, every sculpted detail, every piece of stained glass contributes to the majestic edifice built for the glory of God. Many of the people who contributed to its construction were flawed individuals, hypocrites as described in today's Gospel, all sinners, and yet a beautiful structure stands witnessing the beauty of Our Lord Jesus Christ…

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/1113
Christian Art - www.christian.art