The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to go deeper in our understanding of the Way through the inspiration of Spirit in our study and action.
The reading from the Book of Genesis completes the Priestly tradition and begins another account of the Creation.
* [1:28] Fill the earth and subdue it: the object of the verb “subdue” may be not the earth as such but earth as the territory each nation must take for itself (chaps. 10–11), just as Israel will later do (see Nm 32:22, 29; Jos 18:1). The two divine commands define the basic tasks of the human race—to continue in existence through generation and to take possession of one’s God-given territory. The dual command would have had special meaning when Israel was in exile and deeply anxious about whether they would continue as a nation and return to their ancient territory. Have dominion: the whole human race is made in the “image” and “likeness” of God and has “dominion.” Comparable literature of the time used these words of kings rather than of human beings in general; human beings were invariably thought of as slaves of the gods created to provide menial service for the divine world. The royal language here does not, however, give human beings unlimited power, for kings in the Bible had limited dominion and were subject to prophetic critique.
* [1:29] According to the Priestly tradition, the human race was originally intended to live on plants and fruits as were the animals (see v. 30), an arrangement that God will later change (9:3) in view of the human inclination to violence. (Genesis, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)
Psalm 8 praises Divine Majesty and Human Dignity.
* [Psalm 8] While marvelling at the limitless grandeur of God (Ps 8:2–3), the psalmist is struck first by the smallness of human beings in creation (Ps 8:4–5), and then by the royal dignity and power that God has graciously bestowed upon them (Ps 8:6–9). (Psalms, PSALM 8, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus critiques the Tradition of the Elders.
* [7:1–23] See note on Mt 15:1–20. Against the Pharisees’ narrow, legalistic, and external practices of piety in matters of purification (Mk 7:2–5), external worship (Mk 7:6–7), and observance of commandments, Jesus sets in opposition the true moral intent of the divine law (Mk 7:8–13). But he goes beyond contrasting the law and Pharisaic interpretation of it. The parable of Mk 7:14–15 in effect sets aside the law itself in respect to clean and unclean food. He thereby opens the way for unity between Jew and Gentile in the kingdom of God, intimated by Jesus’ departure for pagan territory beyond Galilee. For similar contrast see Mk 2:1–3:6; 3:20–35; 6:1–6. (Mark, CHAPTER 7, n.d.)
Nicky Santos S.J. comments that the purity that we are invited to as disciples of Jesus is one that emanates from our heart and that is manifested by our love for our neighbor.
Ironically, this might mean getting dirty or as Pope Francis says, ‘getting our shoes muddied.’ The purity that the gospel advocates is one of being engaged with the messiness of our world, of fighting for justice and equity, of advocating for peace and reconciliation, of respecting human life in all its forms, of caring for the environment etc. (Santos, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “Mammon refuses to provide for parents in old age,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).
"Christ says, 'Care for the poor' (Matthew 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 14:13); Mammon says, 'Take away even those things the poor possess.' Christ says, 'Empty yourself of what you have' (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23); Mammon says, 'Take also what they possess.' Do you see the opposition, the strife between them? See how it is that one cannot obey both, but must reject one?... Christ says, 'None of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions' (Luke 14:33); Mammon says, 'Take the bread from the hungry.' Christ says, 'Cover the naked' (Matthew 25:34-40; Isaiah 58:7); the other says, 'Strip the naked.' Christ says, 'You shall not turn away from your own family (Isaiah 58:7), and those of your own house' (1 Timothy 5:8; Galatians 6:10); Mammon says, 'You shall not show mercy to those of your own family. Though you see your mother or your father in want, despise them' (Mark 7:11)." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON PHILIPPIANS 6.25) (Schwager, 2022)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 7:1-13 asks how can we ensure that we are not “nullify[ing] the word of God” in favor of something less important (Mark 7:13)? Let’s reflect on some of the Beatitudes, which are among Jesus’ most important teachings, to see if we can find some helpful answers.
Allow God’s word, and not human traditions, to shape your perspective today. Let it help you leave behind any ways that keep you from following him with your whole heart.
“Lord, I want to trust you and rely on your ways.” (Meditation on Mark 7:1-13, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on some of the transitions of thought about God and Creation that are present in the Priestly account in Genesis that was authored during the Babylonian exile. The Hebrew expression of the superlative is applied to simultaneous creation of man and woman expressing a radical equality. Dominion is not a license to destroy but, like a child, to celebrate Creation. Friar Jude reminds us that we may tend to quote the Law as we prefer it, rather than the Law placed in our hearts by the Spirit.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects on the “tricycle of faith” and emphasizes the importance of inner experience for true spiritual transformation.
The two wheels of Scripture and Tradition can be seen as sources of outer authority, while our personal experience leads to our inner authority. I am convinced we need and can have both. Only when inner and outer authority come together do we have true spiritual wisdom. Christianity in most of its history has largely relied upon outer authority. But we must now be honest about the value of inner experience, which of course was at work all the time but was not given credence.
Information from outer authority is not necessarily transformation, and we need genuinely transformed people today, not just people with answers. I do not want my words in these meditations to separate anyone from their own astonishment or to provide them with a substitute for their own inner experience. Theology (and authority figures) have done that for too many. Rather, I hope my words—written or spoken—simply invite readers on their own inner journey rather than become a replacement for it. (Rohr, 2023)
Recently we watched the 1960 movie Inherit the Wind. The conflict between creation as presented in Genesis and the science of evolution as Darwin explains in “On the Origin of Species” comes to mind after contemplating the texts today. Perhaps we tend to select passages from Scripture and science to justify our point of view and perhaps miss the necessity to assess the whole picture with an open mind and considering our life experience. Students of Pope Francis' encyclical “Laudato Si” point out the limitation of our understanding of “dominion” in Genesis. “Stewardship” and even “kinship” are better descriptors of the relationship we need with Nature to hear the “cry of the earth” and the ”cry of poor” as Francis implores.
We may tend to interpret the Way of our path in life by external forces that support our privilege and plan rather than God’s desire for our conversion.
References
Genesis, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/1?20
Mark, CHAPTER 7. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/7?1
Meditation on Mark 7:1-13. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved February 7, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/02/07/605298/
Psalms, PSALM 8. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/8?4
Rohr, R. (2023, February 7). The Importance of Experience — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 7, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-importance-of-experience-2023-02-07/
Santos, N. (2023, February 7). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved February 7, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/020723.html
Schwager, D. (2022, August 10). Rejecting the Commandments of God. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved February 7, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=feb7
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