Homily for Tuesday, 18 March 2014‒ Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

Optional Memorial of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Readings of the day: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20; Psalm 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23; Matthew 23:1-12

 

We pray today in our Psalm response, “To the upright I will show the saving power of God.” What does it mean for us to “show the saving power of God”? How can we “show the saving power of God” to one another and to the world?

From time to time, no matter how good we are, temptation will exist to show off the power of ourselves instead of showing the saving power of God. All the telling of the saving power of God, then, will not substitute for showing and living the saving power of God.

Jesus criticizes this very tendency among “the scribes and the Pharisees.” Many of the religious leaders of his time were masters at telling of and at exercising power as if it were theirs to lord over others instead of living God’s power that serves and that saves. They looked to titles that could exploit this power over others, instead of to God’s name that stands for salvation; for power for others; for and with us. They looked to ways of burdening others with laws instead of to ways in which God’s Law could be a gift to the people they served. They looked to honor themselves visibly instead of honoring God who is invisible.

Can we not, and do not some, especially in positions of leadership, fall into these same temptations today? (I speak for myself; these words of Jesus are a constant challenge to me.) How can we show by the way we live and not only tell of God’s saving power?

Do any of us know of one person we could serve today, even in a small way, especially one who could never repay us? Do any of us know of someone in need, even if that need could be satisfied by a kind word or perhaps simply our being present to another person?

We have through our Lenten celebration a beautiful opportunity to make our prayer, the prayer of our Responsorial Psalm today, count: “I will show the saving power of God.” I will not; we will not only tell of God’s power or exercise power in a way that does not contribute to the good of one another, but we will show; we will live the power of God this Lent in a way that serves and that saves.