In the early years, the Marx Brothers travelled a lot.  Groucho recalled, “Since we were a kid act, we traveled at half-fare, even though we were all around twenty.  But our mother, Minnie, insisted to everyone that we were thirteen.” One day the train conductor came up to Minnie, looking somber. “Ma’am, that kid of yours is in the dining car smoking a cigar.  The other is in the washroom shaving.”  Minnie tried to look sad as she sighed, “They grow up so fast!”

We all get a kick out of a simple deception like that, don’t we?  But Jesus is troubled by the deeper deception he finds in the Pharisees today—they were in self-deception, which is a real game-ender in the spiritual life. Today, children are taught to say, “I have a right to my opinion.” And people think their opinions are right.  The internet glorifies the opinions of people who may have no knowledge of a subject—just loud opinions.  The problem is that, in a culture where opinion is baptized as truth, it is very easy to deceive ourselves simply by believing our opinions.  One man convinced himself he was worshipping God properly, by going diving every Sunday.  He pulled away from his church community and was receiving no nourishment to feed his soul—but he would stubbornly fight anyone who suggested he come back to church.

We can spiral into unhealthy or sinful ways when we think we can commune with God all on our own terms.  Notice how people avoid talking to someone they think might try to correct them… even if that is exactly what they really need.  Keep connected to your roots: your church tradition is a lifeline of faith and spiritual food!