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In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls out the hypocrisy of the leaders of the local community, telling his disciples to “do whatever they teach you and follow it, but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.” He goes on to say, disparagingly, “They do all their deeds to be seen by others”—a charge that hits particularly strongly in this time of social media, selfies, Fitbits and Apple Watches, and the constant documentation and “objective” measurement encouraged in all parts of life.
Am I doing an action because it’s beneficial to me or to my neighbor? Or am I doing an action to continue my streak in an app, to post a picture to Instagram, to reply to a message? Am I following the actions of the scribes and Pharisees, trying to be “greeted with respect in the marketplace”? Or am I following the teaching of Jesus, who tells us “[t]he greatest among you will be your servant”?
As we prepare for Christ’s coming, I’m slowing down and taking a look at my daily life. As the start of a new liturgical year and a time of preparation for Christmas, I’m using Advent to solidify new habits. I can practice volunteering without talking with friends about how busy I am because of all my activities. I can turn off app notifications, so I choose when to use the apps instead of the apps telling me when I need to open them. I can incorporate prayer into my life more, so that I am frequently reminded of Jesus’ words: “All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
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