And you are all brothers

TUESDAY 10 MARCH (Mt 23,1-12)

A first brotherhood is that of pride and rebellion against God. It is the brotherhood of the tower of Babel: “The whole world spoke the same language, using the same words. While men were migrating in the east, they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another, “Come, let us mold bricks and harden them with fire.” They used bricks for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky, and so make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth.” Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men had built. Then the Lord said: “If now, while they are one people, all speaking the same language, they have started to do this, nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume to do. Let us then go down and there confuse their language, so that one will not understand what another says.” Thus the Lord scattered them from there all over the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the speech of all the world. It was from that place that he scattered them all over the earth” (Gen 11,1-9). It is not according to God. It has no future.  

The second brotherhood is the one of disobedience to the law of the Lord: “Then the message came to me from the Lord: Thus says the Lord: So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot, the great pride of Jerusalem. This wicked people who refuse to obey my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts, and follow strange gods to serve and adore them, shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing. For, as close as the loincloth clings to a man’s loins, so had I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the Lord; to be my people, my renown, my praise, my beauty. But they did not listen. Now speak to them this word: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Every wine flask is meant to be filled with wine. If they reply, “Do we not know that every wine flask is meant to be filled with wine?” say to them: Thus says the Lord: Beware! I am filling with drunkenness all the inhabitants of this land, the kings who succeed to David’s throne, the priests and prophets, and all the citizens of Jerusalem. I will dash them against each other, fathers and sons together, says the Lord; I will show no compassion, I will not spare or pity, but will destroy them” (Ger 13,8-14). Not even this brotherhood has a future. It is not according to God.

Then 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 Messiah. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

True brotherhood is that which comes from Baptism and is lived according to the Law of Christ, but in Christ, for Christ and with Christ: “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved” (At 2,42-47). This brotherhood must be built. The Apostles of Christ Jesus are primarily responsible for building it, and in hierarchical communion with them every other priest and disciple of the Lord. A very high responsibility before God.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints make us builders of brotherhood according to Christ Jesus.