We fall into the danger of religious cult, when as religious authorities we hinder others from discovering the liberating truth, thus perpetuating their servitude to us. The scribes were so versed in the scripture that their explanation is far beyond the understanding of the common people. They remain the measure of all things as far as the law is concerned, so that they can use the law to oppress the people. We must be careful, lest we spend our day on theological controversies and forget to preach the gospel in terms that bring life to others. We must not block the way of the gospel by our life choices.
Leading by example
There is a common African adage that says, “one should venture deep into the woods if they need to excrete, to prevent any odors from reaching their residence.” This implies that one should refrain from committing acts of cruelty or wrongdoing in places where they might be observed. It is equally a call to caution or prudence, in the sense that our actions or lifestyle has bearing on the people around us. Our personal choices have social dimensions.
However, either far or near, God sees all we do. Therefore, we must be careful lest we lead others astray. We must not build doctrine around our preferences and persuade others to live by them. Because an unbridled self-importance can create in us a false sense of godlike status and lead us astray. We must beware, lest we fall into the danger of religious cult.
In love with the past.
In today’s gospel, Jesus rebukes the lawyers. He said, “Alas for you who build the tombs of the prophets, the men your ancestors killed! In this way you both witness what your ancestors did and approve it; they did the killing; you do the building.” The simple way to explain this is that people often love the past. The scribe had more respect for dead prophet than those alive. They see the present prophets as a threat while they freely make beautiful references to the dead ones. Dead lions are harmless, they would say.
May we always use our office or status to help others in their journey towards God. May our sense of self-importance never hinder us from recognizing the truth, regardless of its source. Amen.
