Temptation Toward Hypocrisy

What exactly is the meaning of hypocrisy?  According to Dictionary.com, it means: 

A pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.


Years ago, as this apostolate began to show me how to have an intimate relationship with Jesus, there were some people who didn't appreciate the new me. As I tried to become holier, parts of the old Bonnie still emerged at times. I remember someone calling me a hypocrite once in a while when I slipped back into old patterns instead of being the humble lay apostle I was becoming. It felt like all my hard work was dismissed over one slip. But what it taught me was I was being watched . . . and I must practice what I preach!

The Gospel (Luke 13:10-17) from 29Oct2012 shows Jesus teaching the leader of a synagogue about hypocrisy:


Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity." He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, "There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day." The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?" When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she reminds us to remain true to who we are:


"Because we serve in our humanity, it is true that we will not always set the example that either we or Jesus desires but let us strive to consider always, in our words and actions, what kind of example we are giving to others. There are some who position themselves around the place of the divine will, never entering, but claiming always to possess the attributes of the Architect of this place. These are the thieves and brigands. Suddenly, the word hypocrisy springs to mind. We must remember to be authentic. If we are having a hard time in holiness, we should not try to give the impression that we are worthy of canonization. Now the word humility springs to mind. If we are humble, we are proceeding in truth."


Lay apostles, some times we can become quite irritated with the actions of others and lash out.  But what are we really irritated with?  Is it something we see in ourselves being recreated in front of our faces by someone else? Is it someone who says one thing and does another?  Whatever it is, stay humble.  Remain on the path to holiness.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of humility. Continue to lead me on the path of holiness, leaving hypocrisy behind.  Living my truth makes life so much easier!

God bless,
Bonnie