Christians are not behind anyone in fasting and praying. They make it a point to observe 40 days of fasting and attend Holy Mass daily during Lent. Not only this, Christians also do lot of tithing. Very good. Is that enough?
No. Some of us are modern-day Pharisees and Scribes.
Some of us forget many other things. Do you pay bribe? Yes, some of us Christians do that. They also give bribe to get things done. Though I’m not sure about European and American Christians, in India, it’s common. Yes, Christians who pay bribe to get contract jobs. Christians in official positions who take bribe for clearing a contract or issuing a certificate to a citizen which should have come to him gratis.
What I was trying to say is it’s meaningless to observe Lent, go to Holy Mass daily and at the same time, maintain all kinds of outward appearances that impress others and follow corrupt ways. There’s a lack of sense of sin among people: what’s a sin and what’s not. We care two hoots about it. For many, taking and giving bribe is still not sin.
Yes, it’s a grave sin to use God as a cover for injustice. It’s more important to get rid of such sinful activities than fasting for 40 days. If you avoid non-vegetarian food and alcohol but indulge in bribery, corruption and other inducements, there’s no meaning in observing Lent.
According to a report by Susy Hodges, Pope Francis highlighted the example of somebody who goes to Mass every Sunday and receives communion but then asked: does that person pay his or her employees in cash under the table, maybe a salary below the going rate and without making the necessary social security contributions?
Our corrupt ways keep us away from God. If we call out 1000 times “Ohh Lord, my God” but continue with our evil practices, Lord is not going to listen to our prayer.
Pope said during his homily at morning Mass celebrated in the Santa Marta residence: “So many men and women of faith, have faith but then divide the tablets of the law. ‘Yes, I do this’ – ‘But do you practice charity?’ – Yes of course, I always send a cheque to the Church’ – ‘Ok, that’s good. But at your home, within your own Church, are you generous and are you fair with those who are your dependents - be they your children, your grandparents, your employees?’ You cannot make offerings to the Church on the shoulders of the injustice that you practice towards your dependents. This is a very serious sin: using God as a cover for injustice.”
The pontiff went on to explain how during Lent Christians should be reaching out to those who are less fortunate, be they children, old people without private health insurance who may have to wait eight hours to be seen by a doctor and those who have erred and who are now in prison.
Christians, especially during Lent, should not confine themselves to outside signs of piety like fasting and charity and instead must reach out to those in need. More than that, Christians should look within themselves and see whether they need to extend the fasting to other spheres of life. It can be anything, not necessarily bribe or corruption. It can be excessive anger, jealousy, lust, slander, deceit and unforgiveness. Or anything that keeps us away from God. Otherwise, we will end up like Pharisees and Scribes during the time of Jesus.
