Pope: Hypocrisy "hurts the Church," "it is not the language of Jesus," its unchristian

Following the example of Jesus, the language of Christians must be truthful. "The language of hypocrisy is the language of deceit, it is the same language that the snake uses with Eve, it is the same." It begins with adulation and then destroys people and "is capable of killing a community."

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Pope Francis urged people to be on their guard from hypocrisy which "hurts the Church”. Speaking at Mass at Santa Marta on Tuesday morning he said hypocrisy  "is not the language of Jesus," it is not the language for Christians. A hypocrite is capable of killing a community”.  

Commenting on the Gospel passage of “render unto Cesare that which is Caesars” the Pope stated that, following the example of Jesus, the language of Christians must be truthful and warned of the temptations of hypocrisy and adultery, emphasizing how often Jesus calls the doctors of the law "hypocrites." They are hypocrites because "they see something but they think of another, as the very etymology of the word indicates."

These doctors of the law "speak, judge", but think of something else. This is hypocrisy. "And hypocrisy is not the language of Jesus. Hypocrisy is not the language of Christians. A Christian cannot be hypocritical and a hypocrite is not Christian. This is so clear. This is the adjective that Jesus uses most with these people: hypocritical. Let's see what they are doing. The hypocrite is always an adulterer, either in greater or lesser tone, but an adulterer nonetheless. " In fact, they seek to infuriate Jesus. "The hypocrites always begin with adulation." Francis noted that “adulation” begins with not telling the truth of exaggerating it until it becomes a vanity." He recalled the case of a priest, who drank in “all of the adoration” he received  it his weakness."

Adulation, he said, begins "with bad intent". It is the case of the doctors of the law, in the passage of today's Gospel, who test Jesus, starting with adulation and then asking a question to make him fall into a trap: "It is right to pay to Caesar, it's right?". "The hypocrite is two faced. But Jesus knowing their hypocrisy, clearly says, 'Because you want to test me, bring me some money, I want to see it.' Always Jesus responds to the hypocrites and the ideologists with reality. The reality is this, everything else is either hypocrisy or ideology. But this is the reality: bring me some money. And he shows the reality, he responds with that wisdom of the Lord: render unto Cesare that which is Caesars - and that which is God to God'. "

The third aspect, the Pope added, "The language of hypocrisy is the language of deceit, it is the same language that the snake uses with Eve, it is the same." It begins with adulation and then destroys people and "is capable of killing a community. " "When there are hypocrites in a community there is a great danger there, there is a very bad danger." The Lord Jesus said to us, "When you speak let your yes mean yes and your no, no. Exaggeration comes from evil. "

"How badly hypocrisy hurts the Church," the Pope said, and warned "those Christians who fall into this sinful attitude, kill." "The hypocrite is capable of killing a community. He's gently talking, he's badly judging a person. The hypocrite is a killer. Let's remember this: it begins with adulation, it only responds to reality. They do not come with these stories, the reality is this, as with ideology, this is reality. And in the end it is the same language as the devil who sows that perfidious language in the communities to destroy them. We ask the Lord to guard us so as not to fall into this vice of hypocrisy. Let the Lord give us this grace: 'Lord, that I may not be hypocritical, that I may know the truth, and if I cannot say it, be silent, but never a hypocrite".