August 23, 2012. Homily, Saturday, August 25, 2012

Matthew 23:1-12.

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 they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they 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."
The Gospel of the Lord.

Jesus was annoyed because the Pharisees in interpreting the Gospel for their fellow Jews and 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.
Literally, "Rabbi" means "great one".
An old priest to a class of young priests, "If you don't love people, for God's sake don't preach."

Optional Memorial of Saint Louis.

Louis I, Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne [Charles the Great], 
1/26/814 to 6/20/840.

Louis IX, St. Louis, died in the Crusade, canonized.

Louis VII, King of France, when Notre Dame was begun [1163],
completed in 1345.

Louis XVI, the Sun King, built Versailles.

Louis XVIII, beheaded by guillotine with Marie Antoinette in the French Revolution in 1792.