Pharisaic Behaviour
1 Thessalonians 1:1–5, 8–10; Psalm 150; Matthew 23:13–22
Christianity without practice is like a lamp without light – useless! Believing, preaching, and practicing are the triple pillars of authentic discipleship. Sadly, in our world today, believers multiply, preachers increase, but true practitioners are few. No wonder evil is on the rise.
In the Gospel, Jesus thunders against the Pharisees, calling them blind guides. Their lips honoured God, but their lives misled the people. How are we different today? Do we live what we proclaim? Or do we become modern Pharisees — fluent in religious talk, yet empty in holy living?
The Church, too, consistently warns against this contradiction. Evangelii Nuntiandi (Paul VI, 1975) reminds us in no. 41 that “the witness of life has become more than ever an essential condition for real effectiveness in preaching.” In other words, our words are powerless if our lives do not echo them.
Therefore, St. Paul’s letter today is not just a greeting; it is a call to sincerity, to holiness, to a life where faith, preaching, and practice are one. The cure for hypocrisy is integrity. Let us renounce the pharisaic mask and embrace the Christian face of truth.
A faith not lived is a lie well-preached; let your life be your loudest homily.
Let us pray
Father, renew Your Church with faithful disciples who shine with sincerity, humility, and love. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
