Author: Msgr. Charles Pope

One of the Gospels from last week’s daily masses (Luke 12:1–7) opens up some important insights on the “problem of pretending” in the Christian life. One of the problems in getting to this insight of the Lord, is the understanding we have today of the word hypocrisy. To some extent, we have lost the more subtle distinctions and nuances of the word hypocrisy. For most of us today, hypocrisy means, in effect, that our deeds do not match our truest beliefs. There we are inconsistent, that, in effect, we say one thing and do another. While this is part of hypocrisy, is not the whole story.

Let’s look at the passage from Luke 12 and see with the Lord teaches, on the subtleties of hypocrisy.

Here is the full text of that gospel:

At that time:
So many people were crowding together
that they were trampling one another underfoot.
Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,
“Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees.

“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness
will be heard in the light,
and what you have whispered behind closed doors
will be proclaimed on the housetops.
I tell you, my friends,
do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but after that can do no more.
I shall show you whom to fear.
Be afraid of the one who after killing
has the power to cast into Gehenna;
yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.
Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?
Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.
Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
Do not be afraid.
You are worth more than many sparrows.”

Note that the passage begins as follows, “Beware of the leaven, that is, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.” (Luke 12:2). Now the Greek word that is translated into English hypocrisy, is ὑπόκρισις (hypocrisis). And its nominative form is  ὑποκριτής (hypocrites) meaning, most literally, “actor.”

Now obviously, an actor, is someone who plays a role. The actor who plays Julius Caesar, is not in fact Julius Caesar. He is, in fact, John Smith, who plays the part of Julius Caesar, but is not Julius Caesar. In a certain sense, they are “pretending” to be Julius Caesar.

Now, everyone accepts this fact, and it is fine for a true actor to “pretend,” for time, to be someone they are not. But it is not good in the spiritual sense to go one “acting” or “pretending.” And when Jesus warns of hypocrisy he is warning that we tend to go on pretending to be someone that we are not, or to be living in a world, or a time, or set of circumstances, which are not, in fact, real.

Pretending is all right on the stage, for a prescribed time. But pretending is not all right in daily life. To pretend, to be an actor in daily life, is to engage in hypocrisy. And the Lord warns against this. We ought not to pretend to be someone we are not, or to be living in an unreal or “pretend” or “make-believe” world.

And so, with all this in mind the Lord warns us not to engage in “hypocrisy.” In effect, he is warning us not to pretend, not to engage in fantasy or live in a make-beleive world. And this line, “Beware of the leaven, that is, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees” serves as the opening framework of all that is to follow.

And what does follow? Fundamentally, the Lord lays out the reality, that the pretend world, denies the reality of judgment. This amount to playing “pretend.” He goes on in the text to warn us that there is nothing that is concealed that will not, one day, be revealed; nothing that is secret that will not be made known. He warns that, but we have said in the darkness, is heard in the light and, that everything we say or to is known to him. (Cf. Mk 4:22ff), He then, further warns us not to be obsessed with what other people think of us, not to be concerned with those who only have the capacity to kill the body, or somehow impact our worldly living. Rather, he tells us that we should  have greater fear for the one “who after killing, has the power to cast into Gehenna”.

So what does all this have to do with hypocrisy? Simply this, we like to go on pretending, that is acting and living in a fantasy world. And the fantasy, the pretend, the “make-believe”  is that what we do, and what we say, will have no consequences. We like to go on pretending that the Lord is some sort of pushover, some sort of “lollipop King”  who just goes on doting over us, and that what we say or do does not ultimately matter.

In effect, the Lord tells us to stop going on pretending, to stop living in fantasy and following the lines of the script that is not the real world, the real God, or the reality that is my own life.

Most people today, living in outright heresy. They simply deny, or discount the reality that there will be a day of judgment, that there will be a day of reckoning. They simply gloss over the notion, that we will come before the judgment seat of Christ, and that we will render an account, as Scripture says, for every idle word (Mt 12:36), for what we’ve done in secret (Mk 4:22), that we will stand before he him who judges the intentions of the heart (Heb 4:12) and that nothing will lay hid from Him (Heb 4:13). We make light of this, we discount it. In effect, we pretend. And pretending is acting, pretending is a form of hypocrisy.

When Jesus warned of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, he was referring to their sense of self-righteousness. In other words, they thought that they had nothing to worry about, for they were “good people,” unlike other less stellar examples of people around them. They had checked off the “God box”, they said their prayers, they fasted on Wednesdays, paid their tithes, and so forth; they were the good people. On the day of judgment they figured they would walk right on into heaven. This is self-righteousness. This is the attitude that, somehow, on my own power, I can attain to eternal life.

Too many people, have this attitude of self righteousness today. They may invoke God’s grace and mercy, but they are not really willing to consider the fact that they may by their own sinfulness disqualify themselves. Perhaps one has been fortunate to avoid the shameful sexual sins of the day, but have they loved the poor, have they been merciful and forgiving, and vice-versa. It is so easy to emphasize certain aspects of holiness and discount others. This is acting, this is hypocrisy and self-righteousness.

Too many breeze past any notions that they will have to render an account to the Lord. “Oh yeah, I know there’s a day of judgment, but God is love, and everything will be just fine and nobody is really going to Hell.” In other words, the common attitude today is a hell is a remote possibility, that judgment is a mere formality, nothing to be too anxious about. Never mind that this attitude is in direct contradiction to the whole of Scripture, most today live in outright heresy when it comes to this. (Some, sadly hold the opposite extreme of despair as well).

To all of this the Lord says he careful of hypocrisy be careful that you’re not living in a pretend world. God is very holy. Regarding heaven, none can walk up there but the pure in heart. Do not be so quick to simply presume you or I have the purity of heart to simply walk into heaven. God is very holy, and heaven is a place of the souls of just men made perfect (Heb 12:23). Jesus says, you must be perfect as a heavenly father is perfect (Mat 5:48). This is reality, is not pretend. But hypocrisy likes to “play act.” It thinks of holiness, only as playing a role, or as a light matter, simply the memorizing a few lines, and the playing of a certain part. This is pretend, this is acting, this is hypocrisy. And the Lord warns of it.

The Lord goes on to call another question. He points out that most of us are afraid of those who can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. He goes on to summon us to a holy reverence. He says, “I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one, who after killing, has the power to cast into Gehenna (that is, hell).” He is speaking of himself. Scripture says, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and render an account for what we’ve done in the body, whether good or ill, that we may receive recompense.” (cf 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Now the Lord is speaking to us here of real life. He is summoning us away from a pretend world where God “does not really care” about good or evil, or care about our holiness. Instead, Jesus is summoning us to the real world where God has a passion for what is right. He has a vigorous love for us, a love that wants for us true perfection, real holiness. God does not want to play or  pretend with us, he seeks real, and true righteousness and holiness for us. He is not going to go on playing games with us. He does not want us to accept that it is enough for us to go on pretending that somehow reciting a few lines and learning a few moves on the stage is enough for us. He seeks for us to be truly, and really holy, righteous, and perfect.

Thus, when the Lord warns against hypocrisy, he is not merely speaking of severe and pretentious religious leaders of the past. He is speaking to you and me. He is telling us to stop pretending, to stop play acting, and to accept that he is about real change in our life. There is a real standard to meet, not just a pretend one. There is a real judgment to get ready for, not just a brief and perfunctory “play” before the throne of God. God is not playing games with us, he is not interested in the game of, “let’s pretend.”

Very little angered Jesus more than hypocrisy. And while we may like to gleefully observe how he excoriates the Pharisees of old we need to understand, and appreciate, that he spoke this warning to his own disciples, that is to us, that we too should beware, that is the wary of, that is “be aware” of the fact that we too can easily again engage in hypocrisy, in acting, in playing “Lets pretend.”

What then, is the solution to this problem of hypocrisy, of playing pretend? In effect, the Lord teaches here that we should ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is, “the Fear of the Lord.”

What does it mean to fear the Lord? To fear the Lord, is not a kind of cringing fear, a fear merely rooted in concern to avoid punishment. Rather, the fear of the Lord is rooted in a deep love for God. It is rooted in a sense of wonder and awe, a deep appreciation of God’s holiness, of his Majesty, of his power, and of his loving providence.

The fear of the Lord is a fear of offending the Lord who has been so good to us, and to whom we owe everything. When we fear the Lord, but we do not trivialize him. We do not pretend that he is some sort of “lollipop King,” some sort of doting Father who does not really care that we run off into self-destructive, and other-destructive behaviors. Rather, when we fear the Lord, we accept that He is holy, and that He is passionate about setting right whatever is wrong within us, or in this world.

The Lord tells us to fear him who has power to cast him to Gehenna. In other words, he couches the fear the Lord in the context of judgment. The Fear the Lord is the gift to be serious and sober about the fact that one day we will answer to the Lord for what we have done, and what we have failed to do. Praise God, we will answer to a God who loves us, but we will answer to him.

In effect the gift of the fear the Lord is meant to instill in us a balance. On the one hand we must be sober and serious about the fact that we will be judged, and that there are, in fact, consequences for the choices we make and the behaviors we exhibit.

But before we merely cringe in fear, the Lord summons us to remember his love for us. He goes on to say “Do not be afraid, you’re worth more than many sparrows.” In other words, our fear of the Lord should not be a servile, a cringing fear. Rather, it should be a fear rooted in love, and the experience of God’s love for us. The fear the Lord is something which balances the reality of judgment with the reality of God’s love. Both are real, both are taught.

As noted, today, most people live in outright heresy (material more than formal), practically, if not totally, denying the reality of judgment, and of Hell. No one loves us more than Jesus Christ, but no one spoke and warned of Hell more than Jesus Christ. No one spoke to us more thoroughly on the reality of judgment, and the need to be ready for it than Jesus Christ.

The gift of the Fear of the Lord balances his love for us, with a sober appreciation that his love is a vigorous love, a love that insists that our justice, our holiness must be real, not pretend. We may wish to go on pretending that judgment is no big deal, but Jesus teaches otherwise, the same Jesus who loves us. Anything else is hypocrisy, is pretending. The gift of the Fear the Lord seeks to hold in balance the love God and the reality of our need to allow God’s love to effect real change in us, not just pretend stuff.

A personal story. The other day I was privileged to preach at a Mass in the great upper church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. As I, with the Bishop from Cameroon and a good number of other priests concelebrants processed up the aisle, I looked up and saw the great mural of Christ, seated in judgment over the nations. As we processed, we were singing the Battle Hymn of the Republic, and just as I rounded the corner heading up the main aisle, the following lines of the hymn were sung,

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never sound retreat; He is sifting out the hearts of all, before his judgment seat; Oh be swift my soul to answer my soul to answer, oh be jubilant my feet! His Day is marching on!

I was given the gift of tears, as I looked up and saw Christ seated in Majesty. It is a mural that many do not like, for many reasons. Some see Him as too severe, other reject it for other reasons.But as I looked up, I was moved to weep. Yes, I thought, I will answer to him. But I love Him and know and have experienced that he loves me. Yes, I love Him and  I have respect for Him, but I must answer to Him. I will not trivialize him, but neither do I doubt his love for me or the fact that his love is a healing love, a powerful love that brings eternal healing.

The Fear the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, the gift to reverence God and yet trust his love. If you look carefully at the eyes of Christ seated in Majesty in the mural of the great upper Church in the Basilica, you will notice that the right eye of the Lord shows a kind of severity, for his right eye signifies his righteousness, his justice and his passion for what is right and true. But the left eye is more open more rounded, more serene, and this bespeaks his grace and mercy. On the one face of Christ a feature common in Eastern iconography, is both the justice and mercy of God. For God justice and mercy are alike with him (Sirach 5:7). Some, looking up at that great mural see only the severity. But there is subtlety of the image of His eyes that speak of balance: Justice in the right eye, grace and mercy in the left, One God in whom justice and mercy are alike.

The Fear the Lord respects this balance. The Lord warns of hypocrisy, a kind of heresy that pretends, that play acts that somehow justice and righteousness is simply a matter of reciting a few lines. They are not, they are far deeper. But the Fear the Lord also reverences the fact that only the love of God can utterly transform us into the holiness that is required as we prepare for our appointment before the great judgment seat of Christ.

Avoid hypocrisy, avoid pretending. It is not only the problem of the Pharisees of old, it it, too easily, our very own problem.

You may have read in the news that a faculty member of the Gallaudet University in Washington DC has been placed on “administrative leave,” due to the fact that she signed a petition requesting referendum on the issue of gay marriage in Maryland.

Angela McCaskill is “Chief Diversity Officer” at Gallaudet University in Washington DC. She was at church one Sunday, and requested to sign the petition that would permit the voters of Maryland to vote on the issue of gay “marriage.” She signed the petition and says she did so because she favors democracy and allowing citizens to vote on such controversial issues, as opposed to having legislatures and courts force so-called “gay marriage” on the populace. (More HERE)

But the administrators at Gallaudet University consider her signing of the petition to be unacceptable. Apparently, as “Chief Diversity Officer,” they don’t consider her kind of diversity the right kind of diversity.

To be sure, it is refreshing and surprising to hear that a “diversity officer” would have signed a petition opposing Gay “marriage” and insist that gay marriage be brought to a vote, instead of merely being imposed. As most social conservatives know, and have experienced, the usual “diversity office” at a campus is anything but diverse in its views. And, that a diversity officer might actually understand that there more than one side to the issue of Gay “marriage” surprises not only social conservatives, but also (apparently) social leftists. In effect, the leadership at Gallaudet University sees Ms. McCaskill’s actions as incompatible with their notion of diversity, and are saying, in effect, “How could you!”

But merely expressing surprise is not usually enough for radicals on the left. Thus, they have placed her on “administrative leave.” Never mind all the usual calls for tolerance from the radicals, never mind the “free exchange of ideas” that they so often extol on college campuses. Never mind all that, according to them, Ms. McCaskill has to go.

The reaction well demonstrates that when leftist cultural radicals speak of “diversity,” they don’t mean it in any fair minded or straight forward definition of the word.

The word diversity comes from the Latin word diversus: di (two) + versa (turns or sides). Thus, the true meaning of the word “diversity” means “two sides.” Or by extension, “more than one side,” “more than one viewpoint” or just “different.”

But the cultural radicals mean no such thing. In their lexicon “diversity” means you have to accept anything they propose. But it does not that they should accept you, or that they should even consider the fact that you might be troubled that they propose anything, no matter how deviant the behavior has historically been seen to be. In their lexicon, being “open-minded” means that you agree with them. “Tolerance” is your obligation to agree with them, but not their obligation to accept you, or your deeply held Christian beliefs, no matter how ancient or how well attested.

And, in their form of diversity, tolerance and open-mindedness, if they can punish your non-compliance or even just your non-placet, they will do so with a sense of righteousness, and they will do so firmly and swiftly.

The central point is, when cultural radicals use these terms, they mean no such thing.

To be sure, I am not hereby articulating a position that diversity is an absolute quality or virtue. There are certain diversities to be celebrated and/or tolerate. But there are certain behaviors, which ought not be tolerated, illicit sexual union and Gay “marriage” among them.

The intent in this post is merely call the cultural radicals on their bluff. When they talk about diversity, they don’t really mean it. When they try to parade around in clothes of openness, tolerance, and diversity, they are misrepresenting themselves. When they celebrate “diversity” they don’t mean you, especially if you are a traditional Christian. Their ‘diversity” doesn’t include the Scriptures or the ancient Judeo-Christian tradition, or Natural Law. And don’t even think about mentioning the Catholic Church to them, you’re certain to be shown the door out of their “diverse” world.

To them these things are not something to celebrate or tolerate. They are something to abhor, to legally block, and for some of them, even something to destroy.

Just remember, when they speak of diversity they don’t mean it. And if they mean it all, it is only for them and their favored groups. But they certainly don’t mean it for you, especially if you are a traditional, Bible believing Christian. No, you are not part of the rainbow, you are not part of their tapestry, or their mosaic. You have no place at their table, no place in their celebration.

The views of diversity officer Angela McCaskill regarding (so called) “gay marriage,” are not clear. But one thing is clear, she has (wittingly or unwittingly) called the bluff of the diversity motif of the cultural radicals, and has incurred special wrath because she has done so.

To them she is “off message.” She actually took the word diversity to me what it says. How wrong was that! And now she is cast out of the “hallowed halls” the radicals think they own. She is proof that when cultural radicals speak of diversity they don’t mean you, they only mean themselves.

Disclaimer: I have chosen the words “cultural radicals” carefully. I am willing to admit that there are many who oppose the Church’s teaching on Biblical marriage who are far less radical, who are of good will, and may also be shocked at what happened to Angela McCaskill. There are some who are willing to allow the cultural debates of our time to be conducted in an open and honest way, and accept that varying groups, including Christians, have the rights of any citizens to engage in the political process, and to seek to influence the discussions in the on-going cultural shifts of the West.

But the radicals have no such room in their world for opposition or even discussion, and they want to silence any questioning of their agenda. They are growing in number, especially in university and government settings, and it is to them that I address the concerns of this blog.

In the Gospel from this past Sunday the Lord spoke of us giving away all we had to come and follow him. TO many that sort of talk seems crazy and we wonder how we can ever do it. But in fact we WILL all do it, as we finally die to this world and have our only treasure in Heaven.

As a priest it has been my privilege to accompany many on their final journey as they prepare for death. Some have gone quickly, others have lingered for years in nursing homes. From a pure worldly perspective, death seems little less than a disaster and a cause for great sadness. But from a perspective of faith there is something “beautiful” going on.

I know you may think it bold that I describe it this way, but in the dying process something necessary and beautiful is taking place. It is born in pain but it brings forth gifts and glory if we are faithful.

In particular I see two scriptures essentially fulfilled in many who are dying.

I. And Jesus said, “Unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:3). When I walk the halls of nursing homes I behold a rather astonishing thing: Men and women who raised families, ran businesses, protested bravely in the Civil Rights Movement, fought wars, gave sage advice to their children, commanded respect in their workplace and communities…, most of these have become like little children.

Some can no longer walk, some need to be fed, some cry and need consolation, some hold dolls, many wear diapers, some can no longer talk, many need constant care. “Ah, how tragic,” the world says. But an increasing part of me sees a beauty, for they are changing and becoming like little children. A kind of innocence is being restored, and a complete dependence, without which they may never make it to heaven. Now their status as little children is fully evident and they become humble enough for heaven.

Painful but beautiful, very beautiful.

A very dear friend of mine died a few years ago. Catherine had been the Pastoral Associate and business manger of the parish of my first pastorate. I depended on her for practically everything, and she knew just about everything, having been at the parish for over 50 years. Rather suddenly, she came down with a rare and aggressive form of Alzheimer’s disease. Within six months of diagnosis she no longer remembered anyone. And yet there was a childlike joy that came over her. She had a favorite doll she hugged close and when I would walk in the room she would light up. She no longer recognized me as far as I could tell but she loved company. And she would sing, without clearly understood words but it seemed a kind of childlike nursery song.

A remarkable thing to see. Here was a woman I had so thoroughly depended on now in such a state. But she was happier than I had ever seen her. She had become like a little child, and it was clear that God was preparing her for heaven. That was a gift, though a painful one.

And another great gift was this: Almost to her last day, she never failed to recognize Jesus in the Eucharist. Long after she had stopped recognizing anyone else, she still received communion with great devotion. She might be humming or looking around, but as soon as I reached in my pocket for the pyx, she stopped, looked and made the sign of the cross and folded her hands. That was years of training and faithfulness. It was a beautiful testimony of her undying faith in the Eucharist and her last lesson to all of us.

II. There is only one thing I ask of the Lord, this alone I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life and gaze on the beauty of the Lord within his temple.(Psalm 27:4)

Now I suppose most of us who are still healthy and reasonably active would have a hard time really praying this prayer absolutely. The fact is we want a lot of things: a pay increase, creature comforts, good health, we want for the project we are working to go well, and yes, somewhere in all that, God too and heaven, but later. You understand, heaven can wait.

And yet how obtuse our desires can be. It’s really quite strange to want anything more than God and heaven, but, fact is, many struggle to want God more than the things of this earth. Somehow God has to gently purge us of earthly desires so that, little by little, all we want is Him.

And here too the dying process is so important and beautiful. Little by little in life we give back to God our abilities, our health, many of our loved ones. And finally we are led to that place in our dying days when we are given the grace to give everything back.

I remember my father saying to me in his final weeks, “I just want to be with God.” I heard my grandmother say that too, and many other I have accompanied on their final journey, “I just want to be with God.” And they meant it too. It wasn’t a slogan now. They had given everything back, their treasure was now in heaven. They had sold all they had for the “pearl of great price.” Now they could sing the words of the old spiritual: “You may have all this world, just give me Jesus.”Indeed, they had sold, given away, everything they had, and now they were ready to follow Jesus.

For just about all of us it will take the dying process to get us to the place where we too can say, “There is only one thing I ask of the Lord, this alone I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life and gaze on the beauty of the Lord within his temple.”

And so there it is, the “beauty” of dying. It is a strange and painful beauty to be sure, but it is beautiful nonetheless. In an age of euthanasia that sees no purpose, no value in the dying process, we do well to behold and proclaim its strange but true beauty. We ought not fail to recognize the dignity of the dying who fulfill scripture as they make their final passage.

Surely we grieve, but through faith we also perceive a strange and wonderful beauty.

One of the finest hymns about dying was written by Henry F. Lyte in 1847. He wrote this as he approached his own death from tuberculosis:

• Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
• The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
• When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
• Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.
• Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
• Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
• Change and decay in all around I see—
• O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
• Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
• Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
• Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
• In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.