(credit: Varsha Salome)
Religion or Righteousness?
Quite often we mistake the one for the other. We rarely miss a Sunday morning service, we form the backbone of the choir, are a pillar in the pastorate committee and are generous with our offering. Why, we take great delight in harvest festivals, sponsor the complete ensemble of biriyani and exult in being the highest bidder for a basket of coconuts! Ah, we play religion very well. And the church applauds us.
It comes therefore as a rude shock to hear Jesus addressing us as hypocrites. Now, He was only reiterating what prophet Amos said centuries ago. “I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies…… Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.”
“Cut the cackle and get to the ‘osses’!
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*3 Sep, setting 1 January as Day 1