Jesus instructs His disciples: “No man can serve two masters; for he will hate the one and love the other, or he will sustain the one and despise the other.” This statement should make us reflect upon duplicity and the harm that it causes the faith. It was of Nathanael of whom it was said concerning duplicity: “Here is a true child of Israel, There is no duplicity in him.”
This trait was pointed out concerning Nathanael because he was who he presented himself to be on the inside as well as the outside. To have duplicity is to say that one is both two-faced and cunning. If one is like Nathanael and no duplicity is found within them we are saying that they are honest and transparent. Nathanael then becomes a true example of not serving two masters because he served God alone and no division was found within him.
Each of us are called upon to follow in similar fashion. Week in and week out we are to frequent the life of the Church. There are those who solely come out of obligation. There are those who come out of habit. There are those who come because they are curious. There are those who come out of fear. There are also those who come out of true devotion and love.
A lukewarm Christian does so much harm to the Body of Christ for they are not moved one way or the other. Everything is not important unto them. As is said of these people in the Book of Revelation: “Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. For you said, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”
Therefore, we have those who serve one master who is God. They are those who are hot in their practice of faith. There are also those who are cold for they attempt to serve two masters. There are also those who are lukewarm who fail to move one way or the other. Again to repeat the words of our Gospel: “No man can serve two masters; for he will hate the one and love the other, or he will sustain the one and despite the other.”
We must realize that God is the master that we should serve. Seeing that this is the truth we should perform faithfully and zealously all that God asks of us according to our age and condition. We should respond to this call out of love for Him and His Church. When we act in such response to the Gospel we set out to serve only one master. The master who is good and holy other then mammon which always leave us lost and confused.
Let us truly set out to have no duplicity found within us, but only love for God and His Church. May this be who we are as an authentic disciple of Christ Jesus.
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