You have but one teacher- Mt 23:1-12
In his words to the Pharisees and scribes, Jesus (and the ancient Church) traces two images of the disciples: the first is caricatured, the second is true. The caricature of a disciple of Jesus is illustrated by the criticism of the Pharisees. Jesus accuses them, above all, of inconsistency, discrepancy, hypocrisy, imbalance between deeds and the heart, separating the external from the internal, and separating the heart from morality and law. Pharisees offer sacrifices to God, keep the law, and ignore the essence - justice, mercy, love.
He also accuses them of a deep tear between words and action and the use of double measures. They are demanding and strict with others, while they are self-indulgent; they apply reduced tariffs, facilitating live for themselves. They are good teachers but bad examples. Of course, Jesus is not challenging the authority of the scribes, nor is he encouraging disobedience. He condemns only teaching that is not accompanied by proper practice.
Another sin of the Pharisees and Jesus' disciples, perhaps us, is self-glory, vanity, and unhealthy ambitions. They like the first places in synagogues and greetings in the streets. They want their title. They want prestige and success. They do all their deeds in order to please people, e.g., they widen their phylacteries and lengthen the fringes of their coats. The phylacteries were leather boxes containing the most important passages from the Bible. During the morning prayers, the men hung them on their foreheads and on their left arm. Pharisees wore them all day long and even enlarged them to be visible to others. For a similar purpose, they lengthened the fringes of their coats. The phylacteries and fringes had a symbolic meaning, they made it possible to always keep the Law of God before their eyes. Meanwhile, the Pharisees lacked this: keep the law of God, they expected human glory, profits, and personal benefits.
On the background of the Pharisees, Jesus paints the image of the true disciple. It is a person who does not focus attention on himself, but directs it further, towards the one Master. Jesus' disciple is in the shadow, not in the foreground; he does not speak his words or seek his glory. He recognizes that all brothers are equal, and even more, humbly serves others.
Jesus' words are an examination of conscience for the church hierarchy, but also for every Christian. Let us consider today: what are the real motivations for my faith and religiosity? Whose glory am I looking for: God's or human? Do I treat everyone the same? Am I demanding with myself or only with others? Do my words follow my deeds (cf. Rev 14:13)?
You have but one teacher
Some philosopher was asked, "Master, why don't you yourself do as you teach others?" He answered: "Has anyone ever seen a signpost go along with those to whom it shows the way?" I think there is more cynicism than a joke in this answer.
The teacher of faith shows others the way to eternal life. Fear to think that someone else is teaching others how to go to eternal life and not come to everlasting life himself. The apostle Paul once experienced such anxiety. Then he wrote: " I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified". (cf. 1 Cor 9:27) And this question: "Do I myself fulfill what I teach to others?" Every teacher of faith should challenge himself - both a bishop, priest or a catechist, a parent who introduced their own children into the faith, and in general all those who share their faith with others.
Today's Gospel has a wonderful answer to the question of how to behave when someone truly teaches the faith but does not apply it himself. The Lord Jesus says: "Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they (such people) tell you, but do not follow their example”. A teacher of faith who teaches well and does bad things himself will give an account in God's judgment. But you too will stand trial in God's judgment if you did not listen to this teacher's good teaching.
There are many teachers of faith in the Church - because they are not only bishops and priests, not only catechists and parents, but teachers of faith are also all Catholics who do not have their faith as something private. In this connection, it is worth noting the extraordinary importance of another teaching of the Lord Jesus in today's Gospel: " Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ”.
Let us remind you that the Lord Jesus Himself did not come to us in His name and He did not teach anything from Himself. He came to us from his Eternal Father and from him he brought his teaching: " I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak." (cf. Jn. 12:49) We are teachers of faith only when we preach the teaching of this one Teacher. If someone preaches some of his own teaching, or that of a human wisdom only, such teacher is not a teacher of faith, and if he wants to pretend to be, he is rather a faith depraver. There is only one teacher of faith, Christ. Only in union with his teachings can the faith be truly taught.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george