Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 23, 27-32
Jesus said,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside,
but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth.
Even so, on the outside you appear righteous,
but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the memorials of the righteous,
and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors,
we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’
Thus you bear witness against yourselves
that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets;
now fill up what your ancestors measured out!”
Characteristics of hypocrisy
1. Hypocrites show what they are not. This happens when you care a lot about what people will say and whether people like you or not. You care a lot about whether you influence others or not. This leads you to a tremendous state of susceptibility because you put yourself at the center of the world and everything has to revolve around you. You appear one way with others, but inside you there is great emptiness because you don’t have God in you.
2. Whitewashed tombs. Hypocrites fall into criticism and subsequent destruction of any person who may be a threat to their image. They see their brothers as competition and not as friends. They even try to become “friends” with that person who can beat them at something, just to manipulate him and keep the situation under control.
3. Killing. We kill the image of God in us and in others because we try to “use” God in our hypocrisy, believing that we are the owners of the truth and judging everyone. Out of envy or zeal,
we even drive away people who come seeking an encounter with Christ, by placing obstacles in their way.
Let’s pray and put ourselves in God’s hands so as not to fall into hypocrisy.
Remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you, be with you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
