PARISH NEWS

HYPOCRITES AT HOME

Hypocrisy makes Jesus as angry as he ever gets (Matt 23:1-12). Strangely, those ancient scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders, poncing around as gatekeepers rather than a welcoming committee for the poor, blind, lame and unwashed multitudes, have much in common with the modern world.

We recognize such figures in our own time. People who make an art form out of looking good rather than doing good. The arrogant bureaucrat who hounds a lowly applicant because he can; the apparently devout person who wants those less pious to see how deficient they are. Jesus calls out the hypocrisy of laying expectations and regulations on strugglers instead of lightening their burden. That is not his way at all!

He has this to say about them, “Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matt 23:12). Such self-promotion reveals deep insecurity, an inner sense of inferiority, leading some to “big note” themselves to create a façade of their own importance.

Within families too we might encounter those, often men, exalting themselves, trying to be “big frogs in little puddles” at the expense of family. Often under a cloak of respectability, these insecurities lead them to abuse those closest to them. Domestic and family violence in Australia includes physical, emotional, or financial violence and the fear and distress of children witnessing their mother being abused. The roots are abuse of power and the control of one person by another. Overwhelmingly the victims of family violence are women and children. Victims are clearly in need of peace, compassion, and justice.

Our first call is to live God’s love in our families. And then, beyond our families, being aware and prepared to do what we can to prevent and respond to domestic and family violence elsewhere. Our Sale diocese is firmly committed to preventing domestic and family violence while simultaneously fostering a safe and supportive environment for all.

Deacon Mark Kelly