The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine how we manipulate our relationships with God and others according to our needs that may bring misinterpretation of Jesus Way.
In the reading from the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses Commands Obedience and cites the Advantages of Fidelity.
Psalm 15 asks Who Shall Abide in God’s Sanctuary?
* [Psalm 15] The Psalm records a liturgical scrutiny at the entrance to the Temple court (cf. Ps 24:3–6; Is 33:14b–16). The Israelite wishing to be admitted had to ask the Temple official what conduct was appropriate to God’s precincts. Note the emphasis on virtues relating to one’s neighbor. (Psalms, PSALM 15 | USCCB, n.d.)
The reading from the Letter of James exhorts us to be Doers of the Word.
* [1:19–25] To be quick to hear the gospel is to accept it readily and to act in conformity with it, removing from one’s soul whatever is opposed to it, so that it may take root and effect salvation (Jas 1:19–21). To listen to the gospel message but not practice it is failure to improve oneself (Jas 1:22–24). Only conformity of life to the perfect law of true freedom brings happiness (Jas 1:25).
* [1:25] Peers into the perfect law: the image of a person doing this is paralleled to that of hearing God’s word. The perfect law applies the Old Testament description of the Mosaic law to the gospel of Jesus Christ that brings freedom.
* [1:26–27] A practical application of Jas 1:22 is now made.
* [1:26] For control of the tongue, see note on Jas 3:1–12.
* [1:27] In the Old Testament, orphans and widows are classical examples of the defenseless and oppressed. (James, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus addresses 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.
* [7:3] Carefully washing their hands: refers to ritual purification.
* [7:5] Tradition of the elders: the body of detailed, unwritten, human laws regarded by the scribes and Pharisees to have the same binding force as that of the Mosaic law; cf. Gal 1:14.
* [7:17] Away from the crowd…the parable: in this context of privacy the term parable refers to something hidden, about to be revealed to the disciples; cf. Mk 4:10–11, 34. Jesus sets the Mosaic food laws in the context of the kingdom of God where they are abrogated, and he declares moral defilement the only cause of uncleanness.
* [7:19] (Thus he declared all foods clean): if this bold declaration goes back to Jesus, its force was not realized among Jewish Christians in the early church; cf. Acts 10:1–11:18. (Mark, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)
Sara Schulte-Bukowinski comments that in the gospel Jesus challenges religious structures and their leaders who are obsessed with exterior purity, rather than the real interior holiness.
So what about me? Is there a time and place for blowing off steam about other people or circumstances? I believe it is ok to articulate frustration and disappointment, even indignation in prudent ways. But there is also a point for me when healthy venting can become uncharitable complaining, judgmentalism, or even ridicule. I have a responsibility to try to notice and tend to these things, and to tidy the interior of my spiritual cup. If I don’t these attitudes can erode and warp my inner self, so that the kindness, patience and generosity I show to others truly becomes a facade. Taking time to know the difference is a spiritual discipline I am still working on–and probably will be throughout my life. There certainly are, and will be, times when I fail. But I must not let those corrosive interior attitudes become habits, or to conflate truly uncharitable thoughts with healthy processing. (Schulte-Bukowinski, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Keeping one's own heart with all watchfulness,” by Origen of Alexandria, 185-254 A.D.
"These things are what 'defiles the person' when they come out from the heart and, after they have gone out from it, go through the mouth. Thus if they did not occur outside of the heart but were held by the person somewhere around the heart, not being allowed to be spoken through the mouth, they would very quickly disappear and the person would not be defiled any longer. Therefore the source and beginning of every sin is 'evil reasonings.' For if these reasonings did not prevail, there would be neither murders nor acts of adultery nor any other of such things. Because of this each one ought to keep one's own heart with all watchfulness. (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 11.14-15) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 comments that what we eat or how we wash our hands doesn’t make us unclean. We defile ourselves by our thoughts, words, and actions that spring from within us (Mark 7:23). Growing in purity and godliness starts in our hearts and moves into our words and actions from there.
That means that the answer to your thirst for holiness isn’t about adding more “rules” to help you become even more pure. It’s asking yourself questions like “What’s going on in my heart? What’s motivating me?” If you see sinful attitudes, repent. Let the Lord uproot them and replace them with his own thoughts and desires. Then receive God’s power to change as you set your heart on loving him and loving the people he’s put into your life. That’s how you can get more of a good thing as you seek to follow God’s laws.
“Lord, help me to follow you with all of my heart!” (Meditation on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the texts of today.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes how creation-centered spirituality opens us to a deeper connection to God. Creation spirituality reveals our human arrogance, and maybe that’s why we are afraid of it. Maybe that’s why we’re afraid to believe that God has spoken to us primarily through what is. Francis of Assisi (1182–1226) was basically a hermit. He lived in the middle of nature. If we want nature to come to life for us, we have to live in the middle of it for a while. When we get away from the voices of human beings, then we really start hearing the voices of animals and trees.
When we are at peace, when we are not fighting it, when we are not fixing and controlling this world, when we are not filled with anger, all we can do is start loving and forgiving. Nothing else makes sense when we are alone with God. All we can do is let go. There’s nothing worth holding on to, because there is nothing else we need. It’s in that free space, I think, that realignment happens. Francis lived out of such realignment. And I think it is the realignment that he announced to the world in the form of worship and adoration of God through nature. (Rohr, n.d.)
We express gratitude for the prompting of the Spirit that enables our appreciation of the closeness of God as we become doers of the Word and aware of our connection to the practice of real life.
References
Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/4?1
James, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/james/1?17
Mark, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/7?1
Meditation on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 1, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/09/01/1064444/
Psalms, PSALM 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/15?2
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Looking and Listening. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 1, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/looking-and-listening/
Schulte-Bukowinski, S. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved September 1, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/090124.html
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Out of the Heart Come Evil Thoughts. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 1, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=sep1
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