Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and
the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and
observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to
carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to
move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their
phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets,
seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation
‘Rabbi.’ As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and
you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father
in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The
greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be
humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Reflection:
Are you a true follower of Jesus?
A true follower of Jesus is someone who is simple. He doesn’t
think highly of himself neither he isolates himself in an ivory
tower so that others would look-up to him. A follower mingles and interacts
with the people, he doesn’t throw judgment on anyone regardless who they may
be.
A true follower lives and breathes humility, its part and parcel of his
way of life. How then can we be humble, how then can we live and breathe
humility and how then can we make it our way of life? We always have to do
things with the end in mind that everything that we do we do for the greater
glory of God. We don’t do things for our own glory or glorification, we don’t
do things for us to be praised to high heavens.
Many of the Pharisees during Jesus time had a mentality of superiority
perhaps this was because they were the ruling power. They love to give
commands, they love to be looked up and they crave for prominence and respect.
Servanthood and humility were farthest from their minds.
From time to time we need to ask ourselves, Am I a true follower of
Jesus? Or I’m becoming more like the Pharisees who always seek prominence,
honor and attention. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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