“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…

The greatest among you must be your servant.

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;

but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.’”

In seminary, we used a quip consistent with today’s gospel, “Not so much to serve, but to be seen serving.” It was a tongue in cheek nod to our desire to be seen, noticed (and evaluated) for the good we did. Our motivation to be seen, recognized, and honored is deep within each of us. We desire to be thought highly of, esteemed, and regarded. I believe this is a grasping of our ego for something that our soul truly does need. We need to be known, called by name, and loved. Prestige and power are cheap imitations for what we deeply need, what we were made for. Although we try, these things cannot replace love. God, however, knows us. God calls us by name. God loves us. Once we surrender to his love, if we can by grace, our desire to be seen is satiated by the gift of God’s love. We are embraced and, in God’s eyes, sufficient. He loves us unconditionally and personally. In human terms, I have experienced unconditional love most closely in the love of my mom for me. In my worst and lowest times, she has desired only the good and embraced me in my weakness. It reminds me of a line from a Tyler Childers song about the death of a mother and her love for her sons, “Yeah, I reckon we were heathens, but in her eyes, we were saints.” God sees us as saints, as he made us to be. 

In my new role as Vicar General (relatively new), today’s gospel seems particularly pointed. There is always the temptation to be seen, esteemed, and honored. It, in retrospect, was a blessing that I was first ordained a deacon in 2003, about a year after the major sexual abuse revelations broke in Boston. I said yes to God and the Church at a time when there was little prestige in the priesthood. In fact, most people questioned me, my motivation, and my integrity for being ordained. In brief, it came down to my question, “If not following Jesus now (in the darkest hour), when?” I return time and again to two actions in the rite of ordination as a deacon and as a priest. A new deacon at his ordination is handed a Book of the Gospels as the bishop says, “Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.” Likewise, a new priest at his ordination is handed the gifts of bread and wine to be consecrated as the bishop says, “Receive the oblation of the holy people, to be offered to God. Understand what you do, imitate what you celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord's Cross.” Practice what you teach and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord’s Cross! Our lives are not about being seen, but about being loved. In love we find freedom to love and conform our lives to the mystery of the Lord’s Cross, to the mystery of love itself.