Evening Prayer 11-5-11

Evening Prayer 11-5-11

Reading:
Matthew 23:1-12

"Do as I say, not as I do"

How many times do parents tell their children this statement.  I will tell you what to do, but don't look at what I am actually doing.  Unfortunately our lives tell much about what is going on inside of us.  So if our actions do not match what we are saying, this rapidly shows a disconnect and more than likely our children are not going to follow what we say.

It was pretty much the same with the Scribes and Pharisees.  These Jewish leaders had no problem continuing develop laws and rituals to try to make themselves clean.  They wanted to try to earn their righteousness before Almighty God.  So they would add rule after rule to be sure that they were doing everything right.  However, their hearts were not right and their actions could not make them right before God.  This was madness and drove people to despair because they could not be good enough.  This is what happened to Martin Luther who drove himself to despair as he tried to celebrate his first Mass perfect as a work before God.

They are teaching us the way of righteousness but it is one of Law.  The Law shows us our sins and prescribes to us our wage for that which is death.  But we are fortunate in that there is one who came and lived this perfect life.  That person is Jesus Christ.  He is the God-Man who lived among us and did everything perfect.  He alone is without sin.  He then willing laid down His right to life so that He could give us His righteousness.  This is an alien righteousness, it comes to us, not from us.  This righteousness of Christ is given to us as a gift so that God does not put to our account our wrong doings, but instead looks on the righteousness of Christ.  This great exchange, our filthy rags of sin, and death, for the righteousness of Christ which brings life and peace occurs at your Baptism.  You are put to death and Christ now lives in your heart by faith.

Do not try to earn yourself before God, for you can never be good enough.  Rather trust fully in the completed work of Christ upon the Cross.  Look to Him and trust Him to be your righteousness before your Father in Heaven.