wrong priorities - 30th week monday 2018

Jesus accused the ruler of the synagogue of hypocrisy.  Why?  Because of wrong priorities.  The example of the Lord is very clear.  A woman suffering for 18 years was not allowed to be healed because it was the sabbath.  And yet an ox and an ass can be untied on a sabbath so that they can drink water. Why did Jesus call this hypocrisy? Because of wrong priorities. Which is more important, the woman who had suffered for 18 years or the thirsty ox or ass?  So why untie the thirsty ox today and let the woman wait for tomorrow.  Wrong priorities.

I remember one time in a convent in my diocese I called a fellow priest to come and see the beautiful fireworks overlooking the balcony.  He ran and in his excitement he did not notice that the other half of the glass door was closed.  And he bumped right into it making a big thud.  Luckily he was not hurt and the door did not break.  But when the parish priest heard the crash he came out of his room running shouting what happened to the door, what happened to the door.  And the poor priest who bumped the door was hurt.  Why?  Because the parish priest did not even care to ask what happened to his face.  Wrong priority.

During the day sit down a while and let us examine our world beginning with ourselves, our family, our communities, our laws, our nation.  Examine them and you will see a lot of wrong priorities – what Jesus calls in the gospel plain and simple hypocrisy.