Foreign the gospel for Tuesday of the second week in Lent is taken from St. Matthew 23rd chapter, first to the 12th verse. Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, the Scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach, but they do not practice. They tap heavy burdens, hard to carry, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.

All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries, lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation, Rabbi. As for you, do not be called rabbi. You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your Father.

You have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called master, if you have but one Master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be the servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled. Whoever humbles himself will be exalted. When we talk to one another, you can tell often when someone is telling you something that someone told them, or whether they’re talking to you out of their heart, which is out of their experiences.

It’s interesting that that Jesus tells his disciples that they should listen to the truth that comes out of the mouth of the scribes and Pharisees. But don’t call them your teacher, don’t make them your teacher. So where do we go when we seek to learn? We go to our hearts, where there is God speaking to us. He is a rabbi. He is our Father.

He is our master. Foreign Father, your presence is beyond our imagining. It opens us to the reality of who you are and who we are meant to be. Bless us with a listening heart, listening and experiencing you. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.