Pope at Angelus: Offer tenderness and steer clear of hypocrisy

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Beware of hypocrites and let us be faithful, loving and credible...

Pope Francis stressed this during his Sunday Angelus address in the Vatican as he recalled the day's Gospel reading according to St. Mark which recounts when Jesus denounces hypocrisy in the Temple of Jerusalem.

Hypocrisy of the scribes

These scribes, the Pope said, held an important role within the community of Israel. While they read, transcribed, and interpreted the Scriptures, and were held in high regard, the Pope lamented that beyond appearances, their behavior often did not correspond to what they taught.

"Some, relying on the prestige and power they enjoyed, looked down on others, acting arrogantly and hiding behind a facade of fake respectability and legalism."

The Pope called this sort of behavior very ugly, stressing how terrible it is to look down on others.

Steer clear of false piety

Even the prayers of many of these individuals, the Pope lamented, risked losing its meaning as a moment of encounter with the Lord and becoming instead an opportunity to showcase piety and false virtue.

In this context, the Pope recalled that "Jesus warns us to steer clear of such people, to 'beware of them,' and not to imitate them."

On the contrary, with the Lord's words and example, Pope Francis reminded, He teaches very different things about authority. "He speaks of it in terms of self-sacrifice and humble service, of maternal and paternal tenderness toward others, especially those in need."

The Lord, the Pope recalled, invites those in positions of authority to look at others, "not to humiliate them," but "to lift them up, giving them hope and assistance."

Questions to ponder

Therefore, the Pope called on faithful to ask themselves some questions.

"Brothers and sisters, How do I behave in my areas of responsibility? Do I act with humility, or do I take pride in my position? Am I generous and respectful to others, or do I treat them rudely and authoritatively? And," he also asked, "with my more fragile brothers and sisters, do I stay close to them, ready to help them get back on their feet?"

Pope Francis concluded with a threefold prayer to the Blessed Mother for us to combat the temptation of hypocrisy within ourselves, to do good without showing off, and to act with simplicity.