Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.' As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called 'master'; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
phylacteries: Scripture prayers [dedicate your first son to God; the Shema - Love the Lord your God with your whole heart, mind and strength; the 1st Commandment - I am the Lord your God, you shall not have false gods before you] written on parchment and worn on one's forehead and around one's left arm.
tassels: fringe on the ends of a prayer shawl [originally used to hang up a cloak by tying it to a hook]
reb: the Hebrew word for "great". "Literally, "rabbi" means "great one".
Jesus was annoyed because the Pharisees in interpreting the Gospel for their fellow Jews were interpreting it without mercy.
In yesterday's Gospel, Luke 6:36-38, quotes Jesus, "Be merciful just as your Father is merciful." "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you in good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."
Popes have always signed their letters, "the servant of the servants of God."
phylacteries: little boxes containing four of the most sacred passages in the Old Testament - Exodus 13:1-10 about the first-born being consecrated to God; Exodus, 13:11-16 also about the first-born being dedicated to God; Deuteronomy, 6:4-9, the Shema, "Hear, O Israel, You shall love the Lord thy God with your whole heart soul, mind and strength"; Deuteronomy 11:13-21 "There shall be no false gods". Phylacteries were worn on their foreheads, the motivating reasons for all their actions, and on their wrists, that they might put into practice what God wanted.
the prayer shawl tassels were reminders of the law.
An old priest to a class of young priests, "If you don't love people, for God's sake don't preach."
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