Yeast of Hypocrisy

471.doc

Scripture: Lectionary 471: Romans 4:1-8. Psalm 32:1-2.5.11. Luke 12:1-7:

Again the crowds are pressing against Jesus to listen to his words. He continues to teach them and the disciples about discipleship. The whole Journey Narrative in Luke, which is almost ten chapters, is about teaching his disciples and other listeners about what it means to follow him. Jesus always speaks clearly and with authority and wisdom. We are among those who listen; some of the crowd are really “friends” of Jesus and he addresses them and it is they who listen. Hopefully, we are among them. Jesus asks them and us to be transparent in our relationships with one another and certainly in our relationship with God who sees through each of our thoughts and personal secrets. We know we are Jesus’ friends when we strive to love one another in honesty, truth, and appropriateness. The love commandment is manifested in our relationships; this love is so precious that it bears the special name “AGAPE.” It will be one of the key words used in speaking of the Eucharist in the early days of the Church. Such love for Jesus and one another is at the heart of our call to discipleship.

Hypocrisy is what eats away from within and takes friendships away from us. The word is similar to what we say as “speaking out of both sides of the mouth.” We pretend to be who we really are not; we are not transparent when we are hypocritical. It must be serious for Jesus uses this word whenever he corrects those in leadership roles who probably are more tempted to be hypocritical. We sometimes show a “persona” that is really not who we are as persons. We sometimes are not totally honest and appropriate in a relationship; we need to control and cannot let go of certain behaviorisms in our lives. The “woes” are then falling upon us. Luke is the Gospel writer who uses the woes more than the others and it is within the long journey story where Jesus is teaching us the cost of discipleship. We are called to work together as God’s people and not to parade “self-sufficiency”, self-complacency, and individualism. These are the yeast of hypocrisy.

True friends are those who are transparent to one another and who do not put on airs. Jesus tells all of us in today’s passage not to be afraid to leave aside all these “yeasts” that can ferment within our hearts. We are to “let go” and “let God” help us in our relationships. We are worth more than sparrows or flowers in the field in God’s sight and God’s loving and providential care. Jesus knows even the number of hairs on our heads or the lack thereof! We pray this day that we may learn to be transparent in our relationships with each other and that we do not put on a “persona” that makes us better than we really are. Amen.