Fr. Michael Williams

We have heard the saying, ‘power corrupts’. Both history, and contemporary politics, reveals to us the corrupting potential of power. People who have power over others can misuse their power, to abuse those under their authority. We have seen this all too often in politics, in religion, in the family.

“The scribes and Pharisees who occupied the chair of Moses” in Jesus’ time had religious authority, and to a certain degree political power, over their fellow Jews. No doubt there were some good Pharisees, people like Joseph of Arimathaea or Nicodemus, who came to recognise Jesus as the Messiah. But it appears that many of those occupying the Chair of Moses didn’t practice what they preach. Jesus levels three criticisms at them in today’s gospel.

Firstly, Jesus says they lack credibility because their words don’t match with their actions. Credibility is all important for someone in authority. If a politician who is telling us how to live, but then suddenly finds themselves on the front page of the newspapers, because of an affair, then they lose all credibility in our eyes. Those who hold public positions of authority have a particular responsibility to live a life of integrity. Failure to do so brings the office which they represent into disrepute.

Secondly, Jesus says that the scribes and Pharisees are burdening others, rather than helping the people who are burdened. Helping people who are suffering with their burdens is a responsibility of those with authority. Those in authority are obliged to help people crushed by the circumstances of life. Thirdly, the scribes and Pharisees want to use their office to impress others, rather than serve the Lord and His people. But being important in the eyes of the world is irrelevant to God.

Jesus the Divine Teacher combines authority with love. Jesus, the Omnipotent One, uses His power to bring healing; to forgive sins; to drive out evil. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, revives people’s drooping spirits. He says, “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest”. Jesus, the most significant Person in human history, was not interested in impressing people. He was only interested in doing the Father’s will and putting His life at the service of others: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many”.

Someone who learnt to imitate Christ and His ways was St Paul. Following his encounter with Christ, and his subsequent conversion, Paul’s life changed dramatically. He moved from being an authoritarian fanatic who tried to destroy the first Christians, to being a servant of Christ and the Church. Writing to the Christians in Thessalonica Paul describes himself, “like a mother feeding and looking after her own children, devoted and protective towards you”. A mother certainly has authority, but when that is combined with love, we have a truly Christ-like quality. Christ combined authority with love. Paul learnt this from Christ.

Of course there are difficulties in trying to act as Christ did. Paul didn’t always get it right. He acknowledged this in his letter to the Romans: “the good thing I want to do I never do; the evil thing which I do not want- that is what I do”. This struggle exists in each human person. But Paul goes on to ask, “who will rescue me from this body doomed to death? God- thanks be to him- through Jesus Christ our Lord”. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation Jesus rescues us from our sins and in the Sacrament of the Eucharist He feeds us with His Divine life.

So let us pray that we who occupy the role of representing Christ to the world, will use any power we may have build up God’s Kingdom in the world; a kingdom where love and truth reign.