The Masks of Hypocrisy
At the most unexpected moment of the day, in a town far from my home, I met an elderly person. She is someone I have known for many years, extremely active and a positive force in the community. Yet, she seemed a bit demoralized, and she told me the reason for her sadness.
Together with some former colleagues, she had organized a set of decorations to add to the local parish's Christmas display. They had created something beautiful. Perhaps not in my style, but certainly valid, appropriate, and fit for the purpose. When they decided to bring everything to the parish, despite having announced the work in progress, they received an unwelcome surprise. A person who, over the years, has self-appointed herself as the manager of the local community's activities, rejected it as "not in line with her idea of decoration". Even though, in fact, her idea wasn't even clear yet. But this one was rejected from the start - knowing this person, simply because it wasn't her own production.
This phenomenon is not isolated. Having grown up in the city and lived in larger urban areas, these types of situations remained fairly unknown to me. Yes, I witnessed figures who sought visibility and importance in local communities (religious or otherwise) clearly more for image purposes than actual positivity of spirit, but in the end, I didn't pay them much mind. But since I started looking more closely at the dynamics of smaller towns, this phenomenon stands out much more.
There are figures, if not entire families, whose existence (and, in some cases, economic subsistence) relies almost exclusively on the accounts of the community itself. And while this phenomenon exists in all sectors, I find it particularly grave when it happens in contexts where morality should reign supreme. And precisely in religious contexts, which in our country are seeing increasingly reduced numbers, partly due to a shortage of priests, partly due to the disgust that certain dynamics arouse in people approaching with positive intentions - these families live, almost imposing themselves, as if it were their personal fiefdom.
Priests, often busy with other things (or simply disinterested), let it slide. Sometimes these are intergenerational situations, crystallized over decades. The power of these families is stronger than that of the priests themselves, and I have personally witnessed priests being removed just for trying to "unhinge" certain opaque systems managed by such families.
Both by my observant nature and through my work, I witness many things, and these phenomena, once unknown to me, are now clear as daylight. Masks of goodness but, precisely, only masks. And the most serious part is that often these people truly believe they are acting in the right way, like royals who are such by birthright, and feel better than everyone else. Their opinion is law, even when it hinders the true nature of the community. The positive nature that the parish, as such, should spread throughout the territory.
Even if, in fact, they steal - using their power to divert funds towards their own interests. Even if, in fact, they act in the name of morality, but for them, morality coincides with their private ambitions. Because when a politician does it, it is serious; but when a person does it in the name of the soul, morality, and religion (and remains convinced of being in the right), in my opinion, it is even worse.
And here a reflection arises: hypocrisy has millions of masks. Ranging from the most innocent to the most grave. Because if they act in the name of religion, it is no longer hypocrisy but "divine right". An association triggers in their minds: active in church equals always right. Better than others because they cross that threshold in a "privileged" capacity.
But pride is a sin. They should know this, more than anyone else. But the conditional tense, in this case, is mandatory. They are not proud. They are the fulcrums of the parish. The guardian angels. Yet they are left stunned when someone points out to them that, according to the very religion they fill their mouths with, the brightest angel was Lucifer himself. I personally witnessed two figures, totally oblivious to all this, badmouthing people simply for not having donated "enough" to the parish for their "religious holiday" fund. Obviously, a fund for their own group.
Hypocrisy has many masks. The most common is precisely that of sanctimony. The smile, many promises, high-sounding words but nothing, or almost nothing, in reality. Unless it is for their own gain. Unless it is to feed their ego. Unless it is to cleanse their consciences.
I reassured the lady. She did a good job; she put in the effort. She was widowed young, her children are adults and live far away, she has health problems and is very lonely. This activity gave her a reason to approach the holidays with pride and a sense of purpose. She is a strong person, and the disappointment of the moment will transform into something positive. She thanked me with a smile and started walking again, a little more relieved and a little less sad.