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Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter
into the Kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20
This statement would have been shocking to Jesus’ audience. At that
time, the scribes and Pharisees were well-known for their
meticulous observance of the Law of Moses, attending scrupulously
to even the smallest details. They prided themselves on their
strict adherence and often made their “righteousness” highly
visible, earning them great respect among the people as models of
holiness and fidelity to the covenant. However, their fidelity was
often purely external, lacking the interior disposition of love and
worship of God, which is the heart of the covenant. For this
reason, Jesus spoke bluntly to the people, even in the presence of
the scribes and Pharisees, declaring that their level of
righteousness was insufficient to enter the Kingdom of
Heaven.
Imagine the humiliation felt by these religious leaders. Jesus’
words would have stung deeply, confronting them with the inadequacy
of their righteousness. Such a confrontation can lead to one of two
responses: Either the sting of humiliation fosters the virtue of
humility, repentance, and conversion, or it magnifies pride,
leading to anger and rejection. While some of the scribes and
Pharisees might have chosen the path of humility and repentance,
the majority likely did not.
Jesus followed up this statement with a teaching on anger and how
it can move from an interior disposition to severe hatred. While
that teaching is important, it is also useful to pause and place
ourselves in the shoes of the scribes and Pharisees, pondering how
we would have reacted if we were them. Many of them had spent their
whole lives studying the Law, following it, and teaching others to
do the same. When Jesus came along, He essentially told them that
much of what they had been doing was worthless and fruitless
because they were not following the will of God. Place yourself in
their shoes.
Consider your ability—or inability—to endure the humiliation that
those religious leaders felt. Imagine that you had put great time
and effort into cultivating a particular moral and spiritual
attitude and approach to your faith, only for Jesus to reveal that
you have not been listening to God at all, but have gone astray
from His will. Hearing such a holy rebuke would be painful and
humiliating, requiring profound humility to accept. Imagine further
that you listened to all that Jesus said to you. You felt the sting
of wounded pride and self-righteousness, but you humbled yourself,
repented, and began to change. When that happens, external
humiliation produces internal humility and bears an abundance of
good fruit. When it doesn’t happen, we reject the truth and become
even more obstinate in our ways, allowing pride to harden our
hearts further.
In truth, none of us is righteous enough to attain the Kingdom of
Heaven by our own efforts. We all fall short of fulfilling God’s
will and cooperating with His grace. The real question is not
whether we need ongoing change, but whether we are willing to
receive Jesus’ loving rebuke and change our ways.
Saint Faustina, in her Diary, stated, “O my Jesus, nothing
is better for the soul than humiliations” (#593). Humiliations are
a gift from God because they reveal our self-righteousness and
pride, and invite us to rely more fully on His grace. The sting of
having that pointed out is itself a humiliation, but that
humiliation has the power to lead us to profound humility,
repentance, and ultimately, holiness.
Reflect today on the many humbling truths God desires to reveal to
you. Each humiliation, though painful, is a step on the path to
true righteousness and holiness, drawing us closer to the Beatific
Vision in Heaven. Only in Heaven will we be fully purified of every
sin. Until that day, we must embrace every humiliation God allows,
recognizing these painful truths as gifts that correct us, purify
us, and set us firmly on the path to true
righteousness.
Lord of all Truth, there are many truths I need to hear, even
when they are difficult. Please humble me by speaking directly to
my soul and revealing my sin. As You do, grant me the grace to
listen with an open heart and respond generously to Your call.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: Sermon on the Mount by Fra Angelico
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