Good afternoon to all of my parish families and friends,
Today's scripture presents us with Jesus calling out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Herod. He says: "Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." (Mk 8: 15).
In some of the ancient Greek plays the actor or actress would put a mask over his or her face when playing the role of a particular character. If it were a happy character then a happy face, and an unhappy character an unhappy face. The same actor/actress would play these roles out to please the crowd.
Many of the scribes and Pharisees played these roles to perfection. They "put on" different faces to please others while hiding their true face underneath. In essence, the only way that they will "clean up" their act is by allowing God's grace to change them from within.
Ash Wednesday, which is the start of Lent, begins tomorrow. Let us allow a change to take place in our own hearts over these next forty days. Then when we arrive at Easter, the only "face" that people will see will be the "face" of God.
Happy Lent everyone...Fr. Pat