Have you noticed how hard St Matthew is on the Pharisees? It is not just this Sunday's reading but in the gospel as a whole we have the "seven woes" which are declared on them (Mtt 23: 13-36). It is not that Jesus, in Matthew, is against the Law as he states elsewhere: "For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass away until all is accomplished." (Mtt 5: 18) The problem, as I see it, is that with the Pharisees who act the way indicated in today's gospel is that they do not put God at the centre. It is all about them. Hypocrisy, virtue signaling, status seeking and self-aggrandizement undermine the Pharisees' teaching and professed love of the Law. The lesson for them remains the same for us: "The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted." (Mtt 23: 12)
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