The Gospels frequently refer to the Pharisees; the Divine Master repeatedly calls them hypocrites. In truth, who are these hypocrites?
Newsroom (26/08/2021 22:40, Gaudium Press) The wearing of masks is still mandatory. Despite having lived through more than a year and a half of this pandemic, we still do not have the ‘luxury’ of moving around as we were previously free to do; we must continue to wear this essential garment, having done so at least since 2020.
However, despite being told that this will be imposed upon us at least until the end of this year – as determined by the experts – the mask is gradually being discarded, and without any reprisals from the World Health Organization (WHO).
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This week’s liturgy brings to mind some famous figures in the Gospel narrative: the Pharisees!
The twenty-third chapter of Matthew devotes no less than thirty-nine verses recording the invectives that the Divine Master hurls at them.
In the course of this chapter alone, Our Lord Jesus Christ calls them hypocrites six times!
The definition of a hypocrite is classical: “they are those whose conduct does not express the thoughts of their hearts.”[2]
The Hellenic origin of the term is very telling: the term ὑποκριτής properly means ‘actor’ and alludes to the idea of Greek theatre. From the term ‘theatre’ comes the concept of pretense, since theatre presents a false and unreal world.[3]
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How does the mask relate to all of this?
The relationship is this: not only did ancient actors use masks to better perform their roles, but above all, they were used to hide their real identities.
The crux of the answer goes a little further.
At the last General Audience, addressing precisely this topic, the Pope stated that “The hypocrite is a person who pretends, flatters, and deceives because he lives with a mask on his face, who does not have the courage to face the truth,”[4] and further noted that “Unfortunately, hypocrisy exists in the Church, for there are many hypocritical Christians and ministers.”[5]
What did the Holy Father mean by this?
The fact is that little by little, history is repeating itself, and just as in the case of the ancient Pharisees, “Jesus removes their masks before others, denouncing their fundamental sin, and their secret rottenness.”[6]
And so, the hypocrites too are shedding their masks, and in so doing, revealing their true selves.
By Paulo Constantino
[1] Cf. Mt 23: 13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29.
[2] LÉON-DUFOUR, Xavier. Vocabulary of Biblical Theology. 10. ed. Petrópolis: Vozes, 2009, p. 403.
[Cf. Kittel, Gerhard; FRIEDRICH, Gerhard. Compendium of the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Trad. Carlos Alonso Vargas. Michigan: Libros Desafío, 2003, p. 972.
[4] POPE FRANCIS. General Audience. 25 August 2021.
[5] Ibid.
[6] LÉON-DUFOUR, Xavier. Vocabulary of Biblical Theology. 10. ed. Vozes: Petrópolis, 2009, p. 404.
Compiled by Sandra Chisholm
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