The Face of Mercy / Daniel Conway

Hypocrites who cry ‘scandal’ do the work of the devil

Pope Francis makes it very clear that he has no tolerance for hypocrites or self‑righteous people “who love to cry ‘scandal,’ to point out the failings of others and make themselves appear pure.”

In fact, the Holy Father aligns the cries of hypocrites with the devil, who is working overtime to create chaos and confusion in families, in society and in the Church. “If we look at the world scene in our time,” the pope says, “more and more voices are sowing division and confrontation—often by exploiting insecurity or situations of conflict—and proclaiming that the only way possible to guarantee security and the continued existence of a culture is to try to eliminate, cancel or expel others.”

The Church is full of sinners. Sometimes, they sin grievously. But if they repent and seek God’s forgiveness, they can experience divine mercy. The problem with hypocrites is that they are unrepentant. They denounce the faults of others, but are in denial about their own sins.

During a homily at his residence on Sept. 20, the pope said, “The devil doesn’t have anything to do with repentant sinners because they look to God and say, ‘Lord, I’m a sinner. Help me,’ and the devil is impotent. But with the hypocrites, he is strong,” Pope Francis said. “He is strong, and he uses them to destroy, to destroy people, destroy society, destroy the Church.”

While God’s holy Church is made up of sinners, it also has its share of hypocrites, who love to cry “scandal” to point out the failings of others and make themselves appear pure, Pope Francis said.

The word “scandal” is taken from the Greek word, “scandalon,” which originally meant “trap.” Scandal occurs when a person’s words or example cause others to stumble morally, to fall into a trap that is an occasion for unbelief or moral lapse. Scandal is an obstacle to faith in God because it creates doubt about the credibility or authenticity of someone who is supposed to be God’s representative. Those who cry “scandal” to point out the failings of others often intensify the effects of scandalous behavior. They relish the destructive consequences of the moral lapses they claim to denounce.

Who are these hypocrites who love to cry “scandal”? It’s tempting to name some of those well-known critics of Pope Francis who publicly question, accuse or condemn his words and actions. But that kind of speculation would only play into the hands of the devil, who seeks to divide the Body of Christ by diminishing and degrading its leaders.

The devil’s “battle horse is hypocrisy because he is a liar. He shows off as a powerful, handsome prince, but inside he’s an assassin,” the pope said.

Reflecting on the Mass readings for Sept. 20, Pope Francis said, “St. Paul, in the first reading [1 Cor 15:1-11], and the woman who anoints Jesus’ feet in the Gospel reading [Lk 7:36-50] both realize they are sinners, but they are moved by love for Jesus.” But Jesus, in spite of their sins, “forgives, receives, is merciful—words we often forget when we speak ill of others,” the pope said. “Think about this: We must be merciful like Jesus and not condemn others.”

The Pharisees are shocked, “scandalized,” that Jesus would allow his feet to be anointed by a woman the Gospel describes as “sinful.” In fact, they are the ones causing scandal by setting a trap for Jesus.

The Pharisees were self-righteous hypocrites who were always watching Jesus “to see if they could find him in error,” or could “set a trap for him,” the pope said. “They had an attitude that hypocrites often use: They were scandalized.”

Theirs is “the hypocrisy of the ‘righteous,’ the ‘pure,’ those who believe they are saved through their own merits,” the pope said. But “Jesus calls the hypocrites ‘whitewashed tombs.’ They look like beautiful cemeteries, but inside they are putrid and rotten.”

These are harsh words from a pope who constantly extols God’s mercy and forgiveness. Like Jesus, however, Pope Francis cannot abide the hypocrisy of those who condemn others without mercy. He lashes out at those who cry “scandal” as a means of setting traps, causing chaos and destruction.

In the words of Pope Francis, “Let us ask Jesus always to protect our Church, which is a holy mother but full of sinning children like us. And may he protect each one of us with his mercy and forgiveness.”
 

(Daniel Conway is a member of The Criterion’s editorial committee.) †