"Ang Nagapakataas Sang Iya Kaugalingon Paubuson Sang Dios, Pero Ang Nagapaubos Sang Iya Kaugalingon Pataason Sang Dios"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Mateo 23:1-12)

Dayon naghambal si Jesus sa mga tawo kag sa iya mga sumulunod.

Siling niya, "Ang mga manunudlo sang Kasuguan kag mga Pariseo amo ang ginsaligan nga magsaysay sang Kasuguan ni Moises.

Gani tumana ninyo ang ila ginatudlo sa inyo, pero indi kamo magsunod sang ila ginahimo tungod kay lain ang ila ginahimo sang sa ila ginahambal.

Nagahimo sila sang mga mabudlay nga mga pagsulundan para sa mga tawo, pero wala sila nagabulig bisan diutay lang agod matuman ang ila ginsugo.

Ang tanan nga ginahimo nila pakita-kita lang sa mga tawo. Ginapalapad nila ang mga kahon-kahon nga bulutangan sang mga ginpili nga mga pulong halin sa Kasulatan nga ila ginabugkos sa ila agtang kag sa ila butkon. Kag ginapalaba pa nila ang mga gaway-gaway sa punta sang ila mga bayo agod silingon nga sila mga diosnon.

Sa mga punsyon kag sa mga simbahan, gusto gid nila nga magpungko sa mga pulungkuan nga para sa mga dungganon.

Sa mga lugar nga ginatipunan sang mga tawo, gusto nila nga tahuron sila kag tawgon nga mga 'Manunudlo.'

Pero kamo inyo, indi dapat magpatawag nga 'Manunudlo,' kay mag-ulutod kamo kag isa lang ang inyo manunudlo.

Indi man kamo magtawag 'Amay' sa bisan kay sin-o diri sa duta, kay isa lang gid ang inyo Amay, ang Amay nga yara sa langit.

Kag indi kamo magpatawag, 'Agalon,' kay isa lang ang inyo agalon kag siya amo ang Cristo.

Kon sin-o sa inyo ang nagaalagad sa iya kaupod amo ang labaw sa tanan.

Ang nagapakataas sang iya kaugalingon paubuson sang Dios. Pero ang nagapaubos sang iya kaugalingon pataason sang Dios."

***

Meditation: 

Does your practice match your talk? Jesus scolds the scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of the Jews, for their showy practices. In a way they wanted to be good models of observant Jews. See how well we observe all the ritual rules and regulations of our religion! In their misguided zeal for religion they sought respect and honor for themselves rather than for God and for his word. They wanted the people to treat them as great teachers and rulers. They, unfortunately, made the practice of their faith a burden rather than a joy for the people they were supposed to serve. 

Was Jesus against calling anyone rabbi or father? Or was he just directing this sharp rebuke to the scribes and Pharisees? Jesus seemed to be warning both his disciples and the religious leaders about the temptation to seek titles and honors to increase one's personal reputation and admiration by others. The scriptures give ample warning about the danger of self-seeking pride: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbes 16:18)  "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6; Proverbs 3:24) 

Jerome, an early church father (347-420 AD) and bible scholar who translated the bible from the original Hebrew and Greek into the common Latin tongue, comments on this passage:

"No one should be called teacher or father except God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is the Father, because all things are from him. He alone is the teacher, because through him are made all things and through him all things are reconciled to God. But one might ask, 'Is it against this precept when the apostle calls himself the teacher of the Gentiles? Or when, as in colloquial speech widely found in the monasteries of Egypt and Palestine, they call each other Father?' Remember this distinction. It is one thing to be a father or a teacher by nature, another to be so by generosity. For when we call a man father and reserve the honor of his age, we may thereby be failing to honor the Author of our own lives. One is rightly called a teacher only from his association with the true Teacher. I repeat: The fact that we have one God and one Son of God through nature does not prevent others from being understood as sons of God by adoption. Similarly this does not make the terms father and teacher useless or prevent others from being called father." [Jerome's Commentary on Matthew]

Respect for God and his ways inclines us to Godly humility and simplicity of heart. The word disciple means one who listens in order to learn. Jesus shows us the way to the Father – the way of peace, joy, righteousness, holiness, and true happiness. He showed us the way by lowering himself as a servant for our sake. He humbled himself, even to death on a cross, that we might be raised up and exalted at the Father's right hand in heaven (Philippians 2:1-11). What is true Christ-like humility? Humility is true self-knowledge – regarding oneself as God sees each of us. The humble do not rely on themselves, but trust in God and in the power of his love and saving grace. True humility is a servant-like quality which enables us to place our life at the service of God and the service of our neighbor. Do you know the joy of Christ-like humility and simplicity of heart?

"Lord Jesus, teach me your way of humility and servanthood that I may walk in love as you have loved me. Fill me with the joy of servanthood that I may know the true freedom of  selfless love and generous service for my neighbor."