Do not be like the hypocrites!

Ash Wednesday February 22, 2023

Jl 2:12-18 Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17 2 Cor 5:20—6:2 Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

[Take a selfie] OK now that we’ve taken our pre-ash selfie, how many of us use social media; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tic-Tok, Pinterest, or whatever is currently trending? I know I use most of these, some more than others depending on what I want to share and with whom. Social Media has become part of our culture and many of us are somewhat addicted to it. We carry our phones and tablets everywhere we go, and often at home it impedes on family time.

I wonder if our current technology and social media existed during the time of Jesus if our Gospel reading for today would be somewhat different. Not that social media is evil in and of itself, but our use of social media might not always be good or used with the right moral intention. So, imagine Jesus speaking to us today, might he say something like:

“Take care not to perform righteous deeds and post it on social media that other people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.” or “When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, and as the hypocrites do post it all over social media to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.” or “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to post everything on social media so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.” or “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, and post it on social media for all to see you neglecting your appearance and everyone know you are fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.”

Now don’t get me wrong here, I’m not denouncing the use of social media or pointing at anyone who is using social media and calling them hypocrites. Far from it. As noted earlier, I myself am a big consumer of social media. I’m simply using this as an example for us to evaluate what it is we are doing and why we are doing it. Whether on or off social media.

We should ask ourselves, what is our heart’s intention? Am I seeking to glorify myself; to get recognition for what I am doing? To draw attention to myself? Or am I seeking to give glory to God?

Earlier today I went to Mickey Dees for lunch and ordered a fillet-o-fish sandwich, in keeping with my Lenten abstinence, of course, and asked for a Powerade as my drink. When I was called to pick up my meal, the individual at the counter said the Powerade drink was not working and then proceeded to show me how only water was coming out. Normally when that happens that means the syrup bag needs to be replaced, which is something I would think this employee would have been trained to do. I would have been within my rights to request that someone switch out the syrup bag so that I could have my desired drink, and I could have made a seen of it. But no, instead I simply said, “OK give me the Hi-C instead,” and I went my merry way.

In addition, I could have also chosen to post something on social media about what happened to me. How, I was keeping my Ash Wednesday abstinence by eating fish and how this individual did not know how to do his job or ask someone else for assistance in changing out the syrup bag. What good would that have done other to stroke my own ego? None!

Now as for our readings today, the word hypocrite in our Gospel comes from the Greek ὑποκριτής hupokritēs (hoop-ok-ree-tace'), which is an actor under an assumed character, a stage player. In other words, a performer who is putting on a show! An individual who is not being themselves and is seeking attention from others to see their performance. Their actions may not reflect sincerity of heart, humility, or piety.

While reflecting on this, I thought about one of our instructors from Diaconate Formation, who was teaching morality, and said that every decision, every action, no matter how small, has a moral implication. And part of what defines the moral implication is the reason or intent for choosing the action and not just the action itself. Not all choices are black and white or about good and evil, right and wrong; some are between evil and a lesser evil, and others between good and a greater good. Nevertheless, everything we choose to do or not do has a moral implication.

For example, when I get up in the morning during the week and choose to attend or not attend daily Mass, I’m not doing anything wrong by not going to daily Mass as there is no obligation and I do not sin by not attending, however, if I choose to attend daily Mass, I’ve chosen a greater good by which I receive grace. And I don’t need to let everyone know that I’ve done so.

Or if I walk into the break room at work or the school cafeteria and see some trash on the floor, I’m not required or obligated to pick it up and put it in the trash can or recycling bin, but by doing so, I’ve chosen the greater moral good. And again, I don’t need to toot my horn about it and call everyone’s attention to that fact while I’m doing so.

What if I come home from work or school and notice there is a lot of dirty dishes in the kitchen, and no one else is home. It’s not my turn to do the dishes, so I could choose to leave them for someone else to take of, or, if I have nothing else I need to do, could choose a greater good and do the dishes myself, and not say anything to the rest of the family about it.

Now, if after Mass today I choose to take a selfie of myself and post it on social media so that all might see that I got my Ash on for Lent, is that good or evil, a lesser good or a greater good? Well, that would depend on my heart’s intention. I have done that before in past years on Ash Wednesday, or when I go and vote during an election season, I’ve done similar posts letting everyone know I’ve done my civic duty by voting. Many of us have done this, admit it! In fact, there are some organizations who often encourage us to do so, so as to motivate and encourage others to do the same. Some posts are even humorous, like what type of cross did you get on your forehead for Ash Wednesday. After all, we are all called to be ambassadors for Christ, and social media can be rightly used to proclaim the Gospel, and there is nothing wrong with the message having a humorous tone.

Of course, social media is only one aspect of our lives that we live with where we can make decisions about what we choose to do or not do. This Lenten Season, let us take a closer look at our lives and challenge ourselves to not simply make choices between good and evil or right from wrong, but between good and a greater good. To seek to receive God’s grace and not do so in vain or for self-recognition.

For example, it is good to abstain from sweets as a Lenten sacrifice, but what might be a greater good? Maybe taking the money one would have spent on buying sweets and donating it to charity. Where else might we find opportunities to choose a greater good that would benefit us spiritually, or benefit our community, and allow God’s grace to enter our lives? How about choosing to attend the Stations of the Cross on Fridays or Vespers on Sundays during Lent. They are not obligatory but by doing so we will receive graces for choosing a greater good. Or how about volunteering to help at the Fish Fry and not simply buying dinner at the Fish Fry? Or possibly doing both?

In closing, I would like to remind everyone that in this past Sunday’s bulletin there was an insert that listed many Lenten opportunities for us to participate in Liturgical Worship, to work on personal piety, and practice Lenten penitence and almsgiving. Why not avail ourselves of these greater goods as we seek to pray, fast and give alms this Lenten Season. And to do so in a way in which we rend our hearts and not our garments, as we cry out in the words of today’s responsorial Psalm, “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.” Doing so with humility to give God the Glory and not to be on stage performing for all to see.