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Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.(Luke 12:1-3)I love the cartoon above and the words of Jesus in Luke. Sometimes I think that I should hate them, because they almost feel like a threat - everyone will know the things you say privately. The thing is, I have had a life full of secrecy and taboo, of fearing being found out, and somehow the promise of disclosure is releasing. We don't need to be hypocrites, we don't need to pretend that we are all holy and spiritual and perfect... it will all get found out in the end.
Sometimes, I feel like church and the Christian life requires people to put on a mask, hence the post on twenty-one things you can't say in church. It is noticeable that sometimes people say that their Christian friends are the least sympathetic when their marriages fail or they have an abortion. I suppose some feel that God will judge others harshly unless they repent and therefore it is their job to persuade others that they have committed a heinous sin.. it is for their own benefit? I imagine judgementalism is the biggest turn off from the church, it has certainly rocked my faith from time to time.
This is why we are sometimes accused of hypocrisy in the church - because we are being hypocritical. We dare not disclose what is going on in our own lives because we fear the judgementalism of others, and we give the impression that we are spiritual, sound and all the rest of it. I think this is the 'yeast of the Pharisees' and is to be resisted. I also believe that the groups that grow spiritually are those who are open with each other and it is up to the leader of the group to ensure that no one is beaten up for being open. Moreover the leader will set the tone with respect to how open the group is and whether it is safe.
The question was asked in a post whether it is wise to be open about unorthodox views on the internet, and in particular it was suggested that a priest must be seen to be strong in their faith. This is an interesting question and there was a certain amount of discussion on the blog. We all have boundaries, so aspects of our relationship with others and indeed our relationship with ourselves should remain private so that the relationships can grow in a protected space. However, I think the scripture I quote above is more about pretence in our faith, perhaps even hypocrisy is the opposite of faith? I think pretence stifles growth, and my fear is that if priests only explore unorthodox beliefs in secret or never admit to having doubts then others in the church will get the impression that it is taboo.
Obviously there are pastoral sensitivities to be considered - a funeral visit is not the time to debate whether there is really life after death. But I also think being open can be a great benefit pastorally.In his book 'Silence and Honey Cakes'
Rowan Williams describes how one of the desert fathers, Macarius the Great, refused to judge a brother who was unable to acknowledge a particular weakness or difficulty. Instead, Macarius would tell his brother about his own struggles and thereby enable his fellow monk to name and accept his difficulties as well. As Rowan Williams says: “the plain acknowledgment of your solidarity in need and failure opens a door; it shows that it is possible to live in the truth and to go forward in hope”.
There is a scary bit in the Bible that says:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
However, despite being scary, it is another section of scripture that is dear to my heart. For all of us, it isn't the professions of faith that we utter that matter nor the spectacular miracles we do. It is the love in our heart for others, the quiet kindnesses and the humble hearts that Jesus encourages. Perhaps even I can manage that.