A Moment To Pause: Lent - Tuesday 3rd March 2026 #lent #prayer #mercy

Good Morning. Thank you for joining all of the Oblate Family today for our time of reflection and prayer during Lent with Padraig Corcoran, Director of Oblate Youth Ministry.  Jesus Christ speaks not only to the crowds but also to His disciples. He acknowledges that the scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat — they hold authority to teach — yet their lives contradict their words. They place heavy burdens on others but do not lift a finger to help. It is a warning about the gap that can grow between belief and practice. Jesus exposes how easily religion can become performance. Long prayers, prominent seats, honoured titles — these can subtly feed the ego. The desire to be noticed or respected can overshadow the call to love and serve. Faith then becomes more about image than integrity. At the heart of this teaching is a reminder: “You have one Teacher… one Father… one Instructor.” All authority ultimately belongs to God. This levels the ground beneath us. We are brothers and sisters, not competitors for status. The true measure of greatness in God’s kingdom is not how many people serve us, but how many we are willing to serve. Humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less. When we choose quiet faithfulness over recognition, we reflect the heart of Christ. This passage gently challenges us to live what we proclaim and to seek not applause. Be authentic.