5th August

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6, 5 & 6

Hypocrite !

Is there a worse offensive than to be treated as a hypocrite? However, Jesus himself often qualified the most religious men of his time as hypocrites. He who knew to speak with gentleness and with tenderness used words which seemed hard in regard to these people. He did not search to insult them. His only goal was to show them their moral state with exactness so that they become conscience of their state.

The word "hypocrite" used by the Lord comes from the vocabulary of the antique theatre. It simply meant "actor". The extended meaning of the word is somebody who plays a part, somebody who shows another face than his own. Therefore, hypocrisy is a lie in words and in behaviour.

One can be a hypocrite without realizing it. One risks to lie to oneself and to the others through weakness or cowardice. For this reason Jesus used a lot of energy to denounce hypocrisy, especially when it concerns faith. In fact, there is no bigger obstacle to true faith than to pretend to believe, even for a good reason!

We should take care not to pronounce ready made sentences which do not correspond to our deep conviction. Let us be authentic. Let us acknowledge our fears and our doubts. Let us be real with the Lord and with our brothers. This is the only way we can be consolidated in our faith in God's power and his faithful goodness.