Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

FR MICHAEL BOAKYE YEBOAH

CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF KUMASI, GHANA

EXHIBITIONISM

            Exhibitionism can be defined as a behaviour that tries to get people’s attention all the time. The term is at times used to described a sexual disorder but here the term will be employed to describe the spiritual behaviour the Pharisee in today’s gospel passage displayed. Exhibitionism in general is an act of showing off.

            Exhibitionism is on the increase in Christian churches. About thirty years ago it was very difficult for one to see mighty billboards with images of stylish men and women of God advertising their spiritual giftedness especially their alleged power to heal and enrich those who come to them. When one hears these men of God on the airwaves, one can hear the re-echoing of the voice and attitude of the Pharisee in today’s gospel passage.

            Spiritual exhibitionism became popular within Christian circles with the emergence of “charismatic churches.” Men and women of God paid great attention to what they wear and musical instruments. Fasting and tithing became the yardstick for measuring one’s giftedness. Spiritual exhibitionism has spread all over to the extent that traditional churches like the Catholic Church, Anglican Church and others have been eclipsed by it.

            As young catechumens we were catechized in the high virtues of Catholic spirituality though our teachers did not expect us to attain them in a day; they were something to aim for. The highest point of Catholic spirituality is for one to become a martus (the act of witnessing like Christ to the point of death). St Paul will put it beautifully when he said: “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Those who walk this path are known as martyrs. Many saints prayed for that honor to be bestowed on them. I am told that it was the wish of St Catherine of Siena to depart this world as a martyr so also was the wish of St Teresa of Avila. But for St. Francis of Assisi and St Padre Pio their constant meditation and reflections on the passions of Christ did not earn them a martyr’s crown but at least they were blessed with the “five wounds of Christ” (stigmata) of which they were highly grateful to be deemed worthy to share in the sufferings of Christ.

            Another equally high point of spiritual growth is “self-emptying” which makes one leave his/her glorified or privileged status/state in order to identify him or herself with the lowly or less privileged in society. The biblical reference for this spirituality can be found in Philippians 2:6-11 where St Paul states: Christ though was in the form of God did not count equality with God, a thing to be grasped but he emptied himself and took the form of a slave…” In Catholicism, one is encouraged to aim to associate with the lowly and sinners in order to use prayer to liberate them from their sinful state of life.

            In today’s gospel passage, the Pharisee who went to the temple to pray with the tax collector was more interested in the “better than thou” spirituality rather than prayerfully being of assistance to the tax collector. Seeing the spiritual state of the tax collector, he should have prayed for him but he became competitive and judgmental.

            Spiritual competition and passing judgments seem to be the state of Christianity in our contemporary times. This has been fueled partly by the over commercialization of Christianity. The air waves are full of advertisements of all kinds. Some pastors on a daily basis wear the spectacles of the Pharisee in today’s gospel and see themselves better than any man of God on the planet. We should stop turning Christianity into exhibitionism (showing off). In some churches today if one cannot pray in tongues or fast often, (s)he will feel unwelcome and at times (s)he is classified as a sinner in the make of the tax collector in today’s gospel passage.

            A good Christian is the one who can pour out his/her life as a libation for the salvation of others. St Paul was able to make such a bold statement because he lived his life identifying himself with sinners and helping them to embrace a life of grace. When he had done it so well he wrote to Timothy in the following words: “…and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me…” At the end of a Christian’s life, one can speak such a language not when (s)he had lived a life of self-glorification but when in his/her life of others-centeredness (s)he had brought many with him/her to salvation.

            Whenever we come before the Lord in prayer we should avoid the Pharisaic type of prayer: a prayer of self-exultation and glorification. Rather we should learn to pray like the tax collector: “…O God, be merciful to me a sinner…” We should always learn to be humble and contrite in prayer and avoid pride.

            The Jewish elder Ben Sirach tells us the type of prayer the Lord gives his ears to. He wrote in today’s first reading: “The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint…The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goals…”

            May God help us with his grace. OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL PRAY FOR US.