February 27th Lenten Reflection

Matthew 23:1–12

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

Your phylacteries are showing

By The Rev. Brian K. Gross

In the 6th chapter of Deuteronomy, we hear these words “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.” From this scripture rabbinic regulations required that the men shall wear phylacteries (leather pouches or boxes) within which are written this commandment as well as other laws. One is to be worn on the forehead and the other on the arm facing the heart. This, to remind the person the law written on their mind and in their heart.

Jesus does not say that this shouldn’t be done but rather that it should not be done just for show. In fact, Jesus reminds us in the Gospels that we should remember this commandment as well as the second of these, to love our neighbors as ourselves. Not a bad idea at all, having a constant reminder attached to our forehead to love God and love each other. We would remember these things in all of our dealings throughout the day. People might even come up to us and ask about the pouches and we could tell them what they are, and that God loves them also and so do we. Heck, this is starting to sound better and better. Perhaps there is some other way we as Christians can do this rather than taking on another’s tradition. Oh, that’s right, we already have a way to do that by wearing the cross. It is a reminder of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us and a way to remind us that we are to love God and love our neighbor. And when someone sees the cross around our neck and tells us they like it perhaps we can reply with what it means to us and what it stands for rather than to simply thank them and maybe tell them where it was purchased. We can impress it on our children, talk about it when we sit at home and when we are walking along the road. When we lie down and when we wake up.