TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (2024)
Readings:
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8
Psalms 15:2-5
James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Our first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy has Moses waxing eloquent about “statutes and decrees,” statutes and decrees which, if honored can bring “life,” and entrance into the promised land. Moses has just discovered that “the Lord was angry with him,” and he would only be able to look on from afar at the promised land, for he himself would never enter into it. That surely had to be the cause of much disappointment, but like the prophets who came after him he would do what God had asked him to do through good times and through bad. For Moses the statutes and decrees served a dual purpose. Not only would the observance of Moses’ precepts get the people to the promised land, but their observance would give “evidence of [the people’s] wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’ For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the Lord, our God, is to us whenever we call upon Him? Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”
One can read our responsorial psalm as encouragement or a warning, for the response, “the one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord” should make some bishops shudder, for since the feet of the Son of God has trod our earthly soil, many injustices have been done to others in God’s name. Read beautiful Psalm 15 – “Whoever walks blamlessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue.” – that person will live with the Lord of all justice in His Kingdom.
The extremely talented composer Stephen Schwartz and a protege made our second reading from the Book of James appealingly famous. In their musical called Godspel they took James’ thoughts and words and put them to music, making a memorable impression on all those privileged to hear the song, All Good Gifts – “All good gifts around us are sent from Heaven above, so thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for His love.” This is the God of Moses, it is the God of the New Testament, it is the God we worship. As He did with the Israelites, God draws close to us, and in the words of Scripture He draws close to us.
The simplicity of Moses’ words would be lost over the years as 613 precepts would attach themselves to the Law. By the time of Jesus, the religious leaders became overly concerned with the miniutuae of practices surrounding the Law, forgetting, or ignoring, what was most important. In today’s gospel the religious leaders focus on the disciples not washing their hands. There was little to no concern about them getting the nourishment that they deserved; hand washing was more important. This will not be the only time that Jesus butts heads with the Pharisees and scribes, for Jesus has come to view them as hypocrites, people who feign some desirable or publicly approved attitude, but whose private life, opinions, or statements belie their public statements. True religion is a matter of the heart. Jesus is sharp in His criticism of the Pharisees, using the prophet Isaiah’s words to chastise them: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.” There is no shortage of hypocrites in today’s churches; there is no shortage of hypocrites in today’s hierarchy; and if you truly want to see an abundance of hypocrites, there is no shortage of hypocrites in today’s politics!
The road to becoming a hypocrite is easy. It happens when we don’t guard our hearts. It is in our heart that one can judge our religious sincerity, for as Jesus tells the Pharisees and scribes it is from the heart that comes “evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, and folly.” Jesus is telling the Pharisees and us that defilement is not like catching a cold that comes from outside of us. Death dealing defilement comes from within, and if we do not guard our hearts, we will be just like the hypocrites in Jesus’ audience.
parishionersforjustice.com 